


Frosties and Fireworks

by HamstersAndLunchboxes, ohhitherekate



Series: The AJ Frost Series [1]
Category: Captain America, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, but i bought it with laughter, but the chapters after that are not because i suck at first person point of view, lots and lots of original characters - Freeform, prologue - fourteen is written in first person pov, this story was previously owned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-14
Updated: 2018-03-03
Packaged: 2019-03-04 16:12:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 94,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13368396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HamstersAndLunchboxes/pseuds/HamstersAndLunchboxes, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohhitherekate/pseuds/ohhitherekate
Summary: All of AJ’s life, she was always told that she couldn’t. Couldn’t go to college, couldn’t be a biochemist, couldn’t make a difference, just because of her gender. Stubborn as she is, AJ joins the war effort and things start going her way when she meets the blue-eyed soldier who finally tells her that she can, and she’s determined to prove he’s right. Bucky/OC(Chapters Prologue - Chapter 14 written by TheOCArchitect)(Chapters Fifteen and on, written by me.)





	1. prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [AJ FROST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35550753)   
>  [OC MASTERLIST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35551293)

 

* * *

 

**May 6, 1940 – Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts**

 

 

I paced back and forth, wringing my hands nervously. I’d already smoothed my skirt down a countless number of times. I’d already rolled up my sleeves to my elbows, rolled them back down, and then rolled them back up. On three different occasions. The nervous feeling in my gut built and I tugged subconsciously at my dark curls as I stalked up and down backstage. Out beyond the opening curtain, I could hear the Dean of Students preparing to introduce the graduating class speaker. Preparing to introduce _me._

Public speaking was not a strong point for me. Not at all. Why I’d accepted when the Dean offered to let me speak, I had no idea. I was still trying to figure it out myself.

Clenching my fists, I turned around and nearly screamed as I ran into my two best friends and my little brother, who had somehow made their way backstage.

“I can’t do this,” I blurted. “I don’t do public speaking. I don’t even like speaking in general when more than five people are listening!”

Lydia Butler, my best friend since childhood, had the gall to laugh to my panicked state. “Come on, AJ, you’ll be _fine_. Besides, didn’t you tell me the Dean asked you to speak back in December? You’ve been planning this speech for months now, what do you have to worry about?”

“Oh, I don’t know, Lyd, only the fact that my entire graduating class and their families, my professors, and basically everyone whose opinion matters to me are going to be listening!” I exploded quietly, flailing my arms.

“Shhh!” hushed my other best friend, Jane Forrester, who had transferred to our high school in our freshman year. “Just take a deep breath, Frosty.”

“Yeah, _Frosty_ ,” snorted my ten-year-old brother, Henry.

“Don’t call me that,” I snapped, shooting a glare at him. He stuck his tongue out at me and crossed his arms.

“Wait! Wait, I think you’re on…” said Lydia, shushing us and holding up a hand.

“Great,” I said sarcastically, “you don’t even know.”

Just then, I heard the Dean’s voice again and exhaled. I wasn’t late. But that didn’t mean good news. “Now, I’d like you all to join me in welcoming newly named doctor, Adelyn Frost, a graduate of this year’s class here at Harvard University.”

Applause thundered out beyond the curtain, seemingly shaking the entire auditorium. I felt my throat constrict and my breathing slow. I couldn’t do this. There was no way. I was a scientist, not a public speaker. Give me a lab and a few test tubes, and that was where I was comfortable.

At a podium in front of nearly a thousand people? Not so much. I tugged at the collar of my dress, feeling as if it was closing in on my windpipe.

“Go!” hissed Lydia.

I felt my friend’s hand at the small of my back, shoving me forward through the break between the main curtain. People were still clapping. The harsh lighting on the stage forced me to squint through the blinding bright overheads. To my left, the Dean of Students, Doctor Calvin Lewis, was smiling at me, clapping as well. The smile was encouraging to a degree, but my stomach was in knots. Sure, I couldn’t see the audience past the lighting, but I knew they were there and that was enough to make me nervous.

I stepped up to the expensive mahogany wood podium and glanced down uncomfortably at the papers scattered on the surface. My heart leapt to my throat when I didn’t see my own stack of notes. Finally, after what seemed like ages, my eyes found the note packet on my speech and relief flooded through me like a tidal wave. The last thing I needed was to speak freely offhand, especially when I was nervous. I tended to ramble. Me rambling was never good thing.

At last, the applause in the auditorium stopped. It was silent, until one of the people seated coughed a bit, prompting me to clear her throat. I could have heard a pin drop if I had one.

“Thank you, Doctor Lewis,” I began, wincing a bit at the slight quiver in my voice. I cleared my throat once more. “And thank you all for having me speak today on the behalf of the Class of 1940. It felt like we’d never get here. But we did.” I paused, looking down at her notes. They were short and simple. Talk about your achievements and get the hell out. That was the plan.

But somehow, now that I was standing there, looking out through the bright lighting, the idea didn’t seem to do justice to the rest of the class. They’d all worked as hard as me, if not harder to get to where they were. We all deserved a little recognition. Especially the rest of the women in the audience.

I shoved my noted aside, making a split-second decision. Maybe rambling wasn’t such a bad idea.

“I had notes on this entire thing, but I think I’m going to go off book for this one. A fair warning though, I tend to talk a lot when I’m nervous, so I apologize in advance if I get off track.” There was a smattering of chuckles through the audience that calmed my nerves and loosed the knot in my stomach the slightest. “I grew up with people always telling me I couldn’t. I couldn’t go to school because I had to stay home and work. I couldn’t go to college because we couldn’t afford it unless I got a full ride, which I am proud to say, I managed. I couldn’t be a biochemist. I couldn’t get my doctorate. And I was sick of people putting limits on me just because I was a girl.

“My college experience has led me to realize that those limitations aren’t only put on women. They’re put on a lot of folks. Women, blacks, cripples, and basically anyone who isn’t a white man in good physical condition with half a brain.

“But in light of recent world events, a lot of those white men with half a brain are going to be doing something else. Not going to college, no, but there’s going to come a time, and it’s going to be soon, mark my words, that this country is going to be at war again. And those men are going to be out fighting for our freedom and, some of them, paying the ultimate sacrifice. They aren’t going to have time for college. So who’s going to be in our colleges? I’ll tell you who. Women. Blacks. Cripples. People who can but who have been told all their life that they can’t. And the same people that told us back then that we couldn’t are going to need our help. Maybe from this war, we can learn something about each other as country. That white men aren’t the only capable human beings.

“Taking it a step further, the entire _world_ thinks that the United States can’t. That we can’t make a difference in the war that’s raging just over the Atlantic. But out there, Europe needs our help against Germany, just as the white men of America need the help of the minorities in this time, whether anyone wants to admit it or not. And we’re going to give it to them.

“Here at Harvard, despite what I’ve said, I’m glad to say that I enjoyed my experience here. The professors were welcoming, even if skeptical at first. My fellow students were…critical, but kind. This school gave me the chance to achieve my full potential and not just me, but so many others as well. At Harvard in the past few years, we’ve taken the first steps toward cell regeneration. Towards something bigger than all of us that I’m proud to say I took a part in.

“As I said, the world is on the brink of war and the technology that we’re advancing everyday here at Harvard can make a difference in the lives of so many men. I’m proud when I look around see what my graduating class has accomplished and I’m excited to see what we’re able to do in the future. I’m excited to watch people told that they can’t prove the world wrong and show them that they _can_ , because that’s what I did. Even when the whole world stood against me, my own family included, I proved them wrong. Even as the whole world stands against us as a country right now, we’re going to fight back. Congratulations, Class of 1940. We’re all about to take part in something that’s bigger than all of us. And I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

Applause erupted through the crowd and the nervous tension in my stomach dissolved. I shook Doctor Lewis’s hand as he was smiling brightly at me, and exited the stage, through the curtain which I came. Once I was out of sight, Lydia and Jane ambushed me, hugging me and squealing in my ear.

“That was great, AJ!” gushed Lydia.

“Yeah, who knew?” asked Jane slyly.

“Not me,” muttered Henry. “Remember that one time Sam asked you to speak at his wedding?”

I rolled my eyes in response and cuffed him lightly on the back of his head. Henry grumbled an indignant ‘Ouch!’ and glared at me as he rubbed the back of his head. I shook her head. “Never again. Never again will I do that. Give me a lab and a sample of an infectious disease, and I’m fine. A podium and a crowd of people? No thank you.”

“Oh, quit exaggerating, you did amazing,” waved off Lydia. “Now how much longer until we can go for milkshakes?”

“Milkshakes!” cheered Henry in agreement, seeming to completely forget about his reason for complaining.

“They started reading off the names of our class as soon as I stepped off. Only about fifteen minutes or so,” I dismissed lightly. A puff of pride had swelled in my chest as the realization hit me that I was about to collect my doctorate. My doctorate. _Take that Dad,_ I thought proudly. I couldn’t help the grin that spread itself across my face.

Jane folded her arms across her chest, her red hair pulled up tightly in a neat bun, framing her angular features. As she sniffed, her nose twitched, her splash of freckles rippling across her features. “I can't believe you’re getting a doctorate in biochemistry. My parents are always complaining about how I should be more like you. Apparently nursing school wasn’t enough,” she snorted.

“Technically, I also went through nursing school,” I pointed out as I changed into my cap and gown with the assistance of Lydia. “I double majored.”

“Double majored,’ she says. Why don’t you just let my parents adopt you and solidify the fact that I’m such a disappointment,” drawled Jane with a smirk.

“Are you going to join the war effort with us then?” asked Lydia hopefully as she helped me shrug on the gown.

I frowned, her nose wrinkling up. “I know what I said in my speech and stuff, but the United States hasn’t even joined the war effort.”

“Oh, please,” dismissed Lydia, “You know as well I do that Nazi Germany isn’t going to go down without us. England’ll be calling any day now, begging for our help. You said it yourself.”

“That was a ploy in the effort for equality for women.”

Lydia dismissed me with a wave of her hand. “You still said it.”

I smirked. “You really think England’s gonna call up President Roosevelt any day now?”

“Oh, darling, I don’t think,” purred Lydia, “I _know_.”

I couldn’t help it as I rolled my eyes. “I have to go, guys. Got a degree to collect.”

Lydia flounced back, her blonde curls bouncing, and she played with my hair for a moment, framing the dark brown strands around my face. “Go get ‘em, Frosty,” said Lydia with a wink once she was done playing.

I heard Doctor Lewis’s voice a moment later. “Adelyn Juliet Frost.”

I took a deep breath for the second time that night and stepped into the spotlight.

 

 

 

* * *

**Meanwhile, in the audience…**

 

 

“Regenerating cells. That’s impressive, right?” muttered Colonel Chester Phillips to his companion. His companion, the genius Howard Stark, who was too busy munching on a hotdog to be paying attention to the ceremony. Colonel Phillips rolled his eyes and scowled. “Howard!”

Howard Stark jumped a little, turning to face the grizzled older man. His mustache was stained with mustard, cheeks puffing out like a blowfish, presumably full of hotdog. “Hrmph?” he said, which Colonel Phillips assumed must’ve meant, “What?”

Phillips scowled at Howard. “I said, regenerating cells. That’s good, right?”

Howard swallowed. “Oh, yeah, that’s really good. Incredibly impressive, actually,” he whispered. “Of course, they’re probably nowhere near close to doing anything monumental. I’ve been trying to find a way to do that for months and I haven’t even gotten close.”

Colonel Phillips narrowed his eyes at Stark while he spoke. His mustache quivering with mustard was quite distracting, more so than Phillips would have liked to admit. “You’re an engineer, Stark. This woman, she’s a professional at this. You know that, right?”

Howard, who had taken another bite of his hotdog, froze, mid-chew, and glared at Chester Phillips. “An’ wha’s tha’ s’posed ta mean?” he demanded, his mouth full. _Again_.

Colonel Phillips rolled his eyes, but couldn’t hold back the miniscule half-grin that tugged at his lips. “It means you’re an idiot. And wipe your goddamn mouth, you’re getting mustard everywhere.”

Just as Colonel Phillips stopped talking, a bit of the yellow substance dropped off of Howard’s mustache onto his khaki slacks. Howard muttered something unintelligible that probably wasn’t very polite as he polished off the last of his hotdog and wiped his mouth with his napkin, before folding it in half and dabbing at his pants. “You could’ve told me.”

“Yeah, I could’ve.”

Howard scowled as he watched the young woman who had spoken, Adelyn Frost, reenter to accept her degree. “A doctorate in biochemistry,” whistled Howard. “Color me impressed. She’s young, too.”

Colonel Phillips rolled his eyes. “Don’t get any ideas, Stark. We’re trying to recruit her for our cause, not scare her half-way across the world.”

“If we don’t start breaking down HYDRA soon, there won’t be another side of the world to run to,” murmured Howard.

As much as Chester Phillips hated to admit it, Howard Stark was correct. They needed to get the upper hand on the Nazis’ deep science division. The only problem was, as far as Chester could see, there was no way to gain the upper hand.

“She definitely seems to like the idea of the United States joining the war effort,” commented Phillips.

“Or it was just an analogy to relate to her feministic point,” suggested Howard.

“Shut up, Stark, can’t a soldier be hopeful?”

“You really want to recruit her?”

“Is that really a question you have to ask?” asked Phillips, looking at Stark.

Howard merely shrugged. “You’ll have to spell it out for me.”

“Look at her, Stark. She’s practically a genius. She’s only twenty-three. She supports the war—”

“Feministic ploy,” muttered Howard.

“—effort and you two would get along fabulously, I can already tell. And you can't tell me that you didn’t notice that she’s absolutely stunning.”

Howard quirked an eyebrow in amusement. “I did, in fact, but I wasn’t going to say anything. I’m surprised _you_ said anything.”

“I’m sixty-four, not dead, Howard,” grunted Phillips, clearly unamused.

Howard snorted and clapped along with the rest of the crowd as the girl—Adelyn Frost—stepped up on stage again to receive her doctorate. The applause was thunderous as she walked off stage and Howard was sure he even heard a few cat calls.

He was surprised, of course. Colonel Phillips had been entirely correct: Ms. Frost was absolutely gorgeous. And a genius. Positively brilliant. A doctorate at twenty-three was unheard of. A woman getting her doctorate at twenty-three was absolutely stellar. Phillips had a point and Howard had half a mind to agree with the idea to recruit her, but he was still nervous. Not because she was a woman, no, but because he hated to involve anyone in what they were doing. Their work was absurdly dangerous and he didn’t want to get anyone involved that wasn’t necessary. But Howard needed all the help he could get if they were actually going to achieve what Phillips was planning. It was one hell of a long shot, and he couldn’t deny that Ms. Frost would be an asset.

Howard sighed in defeat. “Are we going to talk to her?”

Phillips merely grunted. “You’re on board then?”

“Did I actually have a say at all?”

For the first time, Colonel Phillips grinned widely at Howard, clapping him on the shoulder. “No, you didn’t. See, I told ya you’d catch on.”

“Yeah, lovely,” muttered Howard, but a grudging smile graced his features.

“We don’t talk to her tonight. Not yet. Let her have her time with her family and friends. The United States hasn’t even officially joined the war yet. She has time. Let her enjoy it while it lasts.”

“Whatever you say, boss,” muttered Howard, clapping as yet another graduate crossed the stage. He paused for a moment as his stomach growled. “Say, can I get another hotdog?”


	2. one

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [AJ FROST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35550753)   
>  [OC MASTERLIST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35551293)

* * *

 

 

**December 24, 1941 – US Recruiting and Induction Center, New York City, New York**

 

 

“I’m just saying,” I said, my mouth stuffed with food, “Germany’s not going to last. Not against all of the Allied Powers together.”

My oldest brother, Sam, sat across from me in our booth, stirring his split pea soup absentmindedly, a frown plastered on his face, deep in thought.

We were in a small diner that wasn’t very well known across from the Recruitment Center, where I was doing medical examinations for enlistees. It was a bit past noon, and I was on my lunch break. Sam, the oldest one in our large family, was in town from Savannah for the week and we had decided to catch up. Jane was with us and had been sitting with us, but a couple of the men who had just come from the center came into the diner, and of course, the flirt had to go, well, flirt. When it came to men, my best friends were hopeless. Lydia was worse, but she was taking extra hours back in the center so she could take off Christmas tomorrow. I could hear Jane’s high-pitched giggles from the whole way across the diner.

Samuel, the oldest of the six of us, pondered on my words as he shoveled a spoonful of soup into his mouth. “I dunno, AJ. Germany has Japan. We took a hard hit from Pearl Harbor a couple weeks ago. Dad still hasn’t heard from West. Mom’s getting worried.”

West was the second oldest and Mom’s favorite. It wasn’t a secret. The entire family knew it. You’d think it’d be her only daughter (ahem, me), but no, it was Westley. He enlisted right out of high school and joined the Navy. He was stationed in Pearl Harbor when the bombing happened. Our entire family was worried sick. I was surprised, though, that Sam had talked to our parents. They hadn’t been on good terms when he left and got married to some Southern belle down in Georgia that the family barely knew. I’d only even met Eileen once, at the wedding. Our parents hadn’t been invited due to their lack of support.

“You’ve talked to them?” I asked, unable to hide the surprise that laced my tone as I scooped another bite of mashed potatoes into my mouth.

Sam shifted uncomfortably across our table. “Yeah. Only once, though. I stopped by the old place on my way into the city. Dad was happy to see me, but Mom…between not knowing West’s whereabouts and with me just showing up, she was a bit overwhelmed. Yelled at me a bit for not inviting them to the wedding and whatnot. The gout, you know? Dad seemed alright, though. He wants me to bring up the kids next summer.”

As I took a sip of my Coca-Cola, I could barely suppress the urge to let it spew from my mouth. I swallowed the fizzy drink roughly and glared at Sam. “Kids?! Plural?!”

A wide grin broke out across his face, his gray-green eyes lighting up like a Christmas tree.

“She’s two months in as of yesterday. I was going to tell you in a more subtle way, but I’m shit at keeping secrets. Dougie’s excited, even though he doesn’t really understand. He’s just excited because mommy and daddy are, I think. His birthday’s next week,” he added. “He’ll be two.”

I whistled. Time really had flown by. I remembered clear as day when I got the letter from Sam that Eileen was pregnant. I’d driven down for Douglas’s birth with West and Henry. My two other older brothers, George and Charlie, hadn’t been able to come with us, but sent Sam and Eileen their best. I was convinced Dougie liked me more than all of his uncles, and Sam had confided in me that that prediction was correct. He missed ‘Auntie Addie’ and asked about her a lot, according to Sam.

“We’ll have to go shopping for him so you can take something back down to Savannah for him. Maybe tomorrow?” I suggested.

Sam nodded in agreement as he polished off the last of his soup. He ran a hand through his dark, curly hair, and said, “I don’t have anything better to do. Maybe we can get a card and stop at Dad’s afterwards. Let the family sign it. See if Westley’s sent a letter yet.” He paused. “Are the other rascals still here in New York then?”

“George is in the process of moving in with his fiancée in Queens and Charlie’s still in grad school. I think he’s in the student dorms.” I grimaced at the mention of George’s fiancée, but Sam didn’t seem to notice.

My brother snorted and grinned at me as he stood up. “Bet that rubs him the wrong way. Charlie’s baby sister is out of college, with a doctorate, no less, before he’s even done with grad school.”

I smirked and stood up as well, stretching a bit, cracking my neck. “We talked last week. He was a bit pricked by it, I could tell. Or he was annoyed that all of his friends were practically drooling all over me. Boys, men, whatever. They never change,” I decided, wrinkling my nose.

“Oh, c’mon, Jay,” said Sam as we walked over to the counter to pay for our meal. Well, as Sam paid for our meal. “You won’t be saying that soon. Some gentleman will sweep you off your feet and I’ll be threatening him with a shotgun in no time.”

I scowled at my older brother and he gave me a cheeky smile as he handed the cashier a ten dollar bill to cover our payment. I folded my arms as the young girl dug Sam’s change out of the register and looked around for my two friends, who were still idly chatting up the two men from the Recruitment Center. Jane caught my eye and I jerked my head towards the door and she nodded, understanding the message. Satisfied, I looked back at Sam. “Isn’t the threatening up to Dad?”

Sam shrugged. “Well, yeah, traditionally, but you also have four older brothers who aren’t going to like the first guy you go steady with no matter what you say. And Henry probably isn’t going to care, but just for kicks, I’ll include him in the mix. Besides,” said Sam as he pocketed his change with a quick thank you to the girl manning the register, “are you tryin’ to tell me there was no special guy back at Harvard?”

Sam held the door for us as we stepped into the crisp winter night, the wind blowing softly, instantly chilling my ears. I subconsciously wrapped my arms tighter around my chest, trying to savor the warmth left from the inside of the diner. I shook my head a little as I spoke. “Nope,” I said softly. “Nothin’ like that. I had a few guy friends, but none of them met the standards, y’know?”

“I’m starting to think your standards are a bit unrealistic, Jay,” laughed Sam as he shoved his hands into his pockets.

I shrugged a bit and pushed a dark curl behind my ear. “Maybe,” I admitted. “But at least I’m not settling.”

Sam wrapped an arm around my shoulder and pulled me into a side-hug. I nuzzled up to my brother, letting his body heat mingle with mine, heating me back up just in the slightest. His hand rubbed up and down my arm, creating a bit of friction in an effort to warm me up. “And don’t you dare even think about settling for less than what you deserve, Adelyn Juliet,” he muttered in my ear.

I smiled and didn’t bother to respond as we crossed through the crosswalk back towards the Recruitment Center. We stopped at the door and I opened it before I turned to Sam, who had his eyes narrowed as he looked inside the building.

“How long until your shift is over?” he asked.

“About an hour or two. I’m letting Jane take the rest of it to get some extra hours to help pay off nursing school,” I said.

“What about Lydia?”

“Paid for. Her parents are rich, you know,” I pointed out. I shivered a bit as a chill swept through the cold afternoon air.

Sam nodded. “Alright. I’ll pick you up at three? George wanted me to stop by the apartment and meet…uh, what was her name?”

”Sally,” I supplied, making a face at the mention of her.

Sam laughed at my expression. “Oh, she can’t be that bad, Jay.”

“You haven’t met her. Or eaten her cooking. Absolute rubbish. George is going to have to learn how to cook,” I said, wrinkling my nose at the thought. “He’ll burn the apartment down!”

“He will not. Besides, I’m sure Sally’s cooking isn’t that terrible.”

“She burned spaghetti. How, Sam? How the hell do you burn spaghetti?!” I demanded, arms flailing to prove my point.

“Hey, whoa, language, there, spitfire!” said Sam between laughs as he tried to hold down my arms. “Alright, alright, I see your point. That’s pretty bad.”

By that time, I heard my name called by a feminine voice that was extremely familiar. I turned and saw Lydia, whose normally perfect blonde curls were all frazzled out of place. She was breathing a bit more heavily than usual, proving that, yeah, we all could probably use a bit of exercise. Her white hat was backwards, I assumed, with the red cross in the back and her left shoe was untied. “AJ! Hurry up, we’ve got more and more pouring in by the second!”

I looked out the door, to where Sam was standing. No one was trying to get in. I looked back at Lydia, an eyebrow raised slightly, a snarky comment on the edge of my tongue.

“Don’t even say anything,” she snapped, giving me a warning glare. “Just help me!”

I laughed a bit. “Alright, coming!” I looked back at Sam and gave him a warm smile before hugging him for a moment. “See you in two hours. Maybe pick up some dinner for George’s so we don’t have to eat Sally’s cooking?” I said, gripping my brother’s arms, giving him my best pair of puppy dog eyes.

Sam rolled his eyes, “Yeah, yeah, whatever. I’ll grab some takeout. Sound good?”

“Sounds great,” I said enthusiastically and kissed him on the cheek. “Bye, Sam!”

“Bye, Jay,” he said, ruffling my hair a bit before he left.

I yelped in indignation as I tried to fix the perfect curls that he’d ruined, and then turned and rushed back to the nurse’s changing room where Lydia was waiting for me. “What have we got?” I asked, as I stripped off my winter coat leaving me in my nurse’s uniform. I grabbed my hat from my locker and put it on my head before reaching out and fixing Lydia’s as she spoke and handed me my clipboard.

“Doctor Paris has all these men for you. They’ve already been cleared and are in their rooms. Or, section of the room. Whatever, the curtains are there, you know the drill. Finish up these ones and then you’re done.”

I nodded, my eyes scanning down the names. There were about twenty-three, twenty-four all together and it wouldn’t be too much of a challenge to bang out all of them in the two hours I had. I pulled a pen out my locker and looked at Lydia, giving her my trademark smirk. “Let’s get to work.”

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Little had I known that it’d take me every second of those two hours to finish up. It wasn’t a hard job, per-se, but when the hopeful soon-to-be soldiers would never shut up about saving countless lives and being world renowned heroes, it got a tad old. I didn’t understand their excitement. I understood the urge to help my country in its time of need, but I didn’t get why so many men wanted to go off to war.

My Uncle James had died in World War I and that had hit Dad hard. He hadn’t been married so we received his belongings. Dad read through his journal that he kept the night that James’s things had been returned to us. After reading it, he refused to let the rest of us even touch it, much less see it. It was why he had been so adamant on not letting West join the military. Whatever had been in that book had been awful enough for Dad to not be willing to send any of us off to help our country. Despite having not seen Dad since what happened to West, I knew he probably blamed himself.

And yet, here I was, amidst hundreds of men, chattering excitedly about killing Nazis and saving lives. I didn’t have the heart to tell them that it wasn’t that simple or that easy. Sure, it was tempting at times when they got on my nerves, but I was pretty sure that wouldn’t be the best morale booster. And if the United States needed anything, especially after Pearl Harbor, it was a morale boost.

So I did my job as the rest of the nurses did. With a smile, listening to the soldiers as they rambled, whether from nerves or just to boast, but we didn’t shoot them down. I even put up with their God forsaken flirting, which was really grating on me. I’d always stood by the statement that men are pigs and now that I was an army nurse, that opinion definitely wasn’t going to change any time soon. My patience was wearing thin with the really hoggish men and I was bound to start snarking off at any given moment.

I was on my second to last man when my patience snapped for the night.

“Well, you’re looking all good, Mr. Kelley,” I said with a forced smile. Dave Kelley hadn’t been a particularly bad one, compared to some others in the past two hours. He had to just be twenty years old, his round face bright and straw colored hair too floppy for my liking. His eyes lit up when I gave him my assessment.

“So I’m clear then?” he asked, eyes wide.

I nodded, my fake smile sliding off my face as I looked at the next name on my list, checking off Kelley’s name. “I’ll walk you out,” I said without looking up.

I walked the young man to the waiting area, where he turned to me, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “So, uh, Ms. Frost—”

I looked up and smiled sweetly, “Dave?”

“Yeah?” he asked, his eyes meeting mine for a moment before diverting elsewhere.

I already knew what was coming. The question I’d already gotten countless times that night. The dreadful _Will you see me off or Will I see you again?_ “I think we both know what I’m going to say.”

Mr. Kelley hung his head slightly. “Yeah, I figured. Thank you, though, Ms. Frost.”

“Of course, Mr. Kelley. Have a nice night.”

“You as well, ma’am,” he said before he turned and left, stepping into the cold, wintery air of New York City.

I checked my clipboard for my next patient. “Frank Jackson!” I called.

Heads all swiveled towards me as I called out the name. The waiting room stank of sweat and testosterone and I sincerely hoped this Frank would show his face sometime soon. I didn’t like the way that all the men were staring at me like I was a fresh grilled piece of meat. It wasn’t only demeaning, but it was just plain embarrassing.

Just then, I saw a young man, no more than twenty-five, lunge forward, still pulling up his pants as he hopped towards me. He was handsome, with blond hair and chocolate brown eyes that were inviting. He tugged on his white shirt as he reached me, just narrowly covering his mildly defined stomach and chest muscles. He was definitely one of the more attractive men I’d seen in the Recruiting Center today. That was usually ruined though, as soon as they opened their mouth, and I’d learned to not be too hopeful. Not only was it a bad idea, but it was against a nurse’s code of conduct to get too close to a patient or a soldier. A rule I wholeheartedly agreed with.

“Frank Jackson, Ms…” Frank left the sentence hang as he extended a hand.

“Frost. Nurse Frost,” I said, giving his hand a firm shake. I turned, gesturing back in the room I’d just been in. “We’ll be in room twelve, if you could just—”

I broke off as I watched two men begin to leave. One was much taller than the other, with dark hair, but I hadn’t gotten a good enough look at his face. The other couldn’t have been taller than me. He was very thin, extremely thin, so much so that it looked dangerous for his health. His hair was short and blond and I got a glimpse of his defeated face before he turned to head for the door. The taller man’s arm was wrapped around his shoulders and he was leaning down slightly so he could speak in the smaller man’s ear. Something shiny caught my eye, and I glanced toward the seats where the two men had been previously occupying. There was a golden cross necklace there, bunched up.

I looked at my patient, Frank, and smiled apologetically. “A moment please?”

He nodded at me and smiled, his teeth a brilliant white, almost blinding me. “Of course. Do what you have to, ma’am.”

I was a bit taken aback by the young man’s manners, but I shook my head, making my way to the chair, picking up the necklace. “Excuse me!” I called out. “Sirs! Excuse me!”

The two stopped and turned to look at me as the taller one was opening the door. I made eye contact with him and couldn’t help the little hitch in my throat. He was definitely the most attractive man to ever grace this floor, I decided. His dark hair was slicked back and his razor sharp jawline was clean shaven. A lazy grin had spread across his face when he saw me and my hopes were instantly dashed. I knew that lazy grin. That was the lazy grin of a man that never got denied, never got turned down. He had probably never heard a woman say no to him in his life. If he tried anything, he was about to get a wakeup call, no matter how good-looking he was.

Instead of looking at the decidedly handsome man, I diverted my eyes to his companion. He stood at my height of five-feet-four-inches, at my eye’s level. His mousy blond hair was also styled carefully, but not with nearly as much gel. His face was narrow and his thin frame rattled with every breath he took. As I got closer, I noted the slight wheeze on his inhale. Asthma, I decided, and if that wasn’t what had gotten him denied, it could have been a million other things. The poor guy looked downright sickly.

“Excuse me, but I believe one of you dropped this at your seat,” I said kindly, holding the golden chain out to the shorter man.

His eyes grew wide and a bony hand flew to his neck, where the necklace was not. He met my gaze, relief spreading across his features, a grateful smile tugging at his lips. “Thank you, ma’am. I think you just, uh, you just saved me from a heart attack later.”

I laughed a bit and winked. “That your girl’s?”

The small man blushed heavily, spreading from his neck right up to the tips of his cheekbones.

“Uh, no, my mom’s actually. She passed away a little over five years ago.”

The smile instantly vanished from my face. “I’m sorry to hear that,” I said seriously. “That must be awful.”

“Aw, shucks, it ain’t so bad.” A look of horror began to spread across his face when he seemed to register what he said. “I-I mean, it was terrible at first. I missed her a lot. Still do. But I mean I have Buck here and he takes care of me, y’know?” he said hastily as he hit the taller man on the chest.

I let my eyes travel back to the other man for the first time since I began talking to the small man, who I decided that I liked. There was something about him that was friendly, something you didn’t see with a lot of men. Or something I didn’t usually see with a lot of men. The other man raised an eyebrow, his lazy grin never faltering. “So, darlin’,” he said, shoving his hands in his pockets and rocking back and forth on his heels, “you come here often?”

The small man looked at his companion in utter terror. “Buck!” he groaned, “We’ve talked about this!”

“What, Steve?” the tall man—Buck—said adamantly. “I’m just tryin’ to have some fun.” He looked back at me. “Well?”

I rolled my eyes at his horrid attempt at a pickup line. Seriously, that was a weak attempt if I’d ever heard one, given that I was dressed head to toe in my army nurse uniform and holding a clipboard. Was he really that stupid? “Well,” I said slowly, “I do work here. So, yes, I’m here quite often.”

My dry humor didn’t seem to faze Buck and the lazy grin that was becoming very irritating very quickly was starting to get on my nerves. He swung his hand out to me. “James Barnes. But you, doll,” he said as he winked at me, “Can call me Bucky.” He ruffled the smaller man’s mousy blond hair. “And this here is Steve.”

Steve, who had been chuckling in apparent awe at my flippant reaction to Bucky—No, James’—flirting, squawked as his taller companion mussed up his hair. “Hey! I can take care of myself just fine.” Once he’d smoothed down his hair, he offered me a small wave and an apologetic smile. “Steve Rogers.”

“Right,” I said, fixing my eyes on Steve, not wanting to give James the satisfaction of my attention. “It was fantastic to meet you boys, but I really must get back to work.”

I turned to go, but James’s voice called out, “Hey, wait!”

I looked over my shoulder as I came to a stop. “Yes?”

“Usually when someone introduces themselves, darlin’, you do them the favor of responding in kind,” he said, the lazy smile taunting me, and seeming to begin to look dangerously arrogant in my eyes.

“Well, you are usually correct in that assessment, Mr. Barnes,” I said sweetly, “but only when it’s your business. Which my name happens to be none of yours. Good day to you both.”

I began walking back to Frank, well aware of my hips sashaying confidently, taunting James. I could hear Steve as he laughed loudly behind me and his chuckle got quieter as the door opened and the two men left, James, I figured, dragging Steve behind him.

Frank raised an eyebrow at me, an impressed grin gracing his well-defined features. “Remind me to not get on your bad side,” he chuckled.

“Well, it’s not hard,” I said, “just don’t be an arrogant ass.”

Frank snorted. “Noted. After you, Ms. Frost?” He extended an arm back to my examination room.

I curtsied just to entertain the man and I guess myself a tad. “Why, thank you Mr. Jackson. Right this way.” And I led Frank off to the exam room.


	3. two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [AJ FROST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35550753)   
>  [OC MASTERLIST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35551293)

 

* * *

 

 

 

**December 25, 1941 – Steve’s Apartment:**  
Bucky’s POV

 

 

 

_Cherry red lips. Dark brown curls. Striking green eyes. Mole on the right cheek. Cherry red lips. Dark brown curls. Striking green eyes. Mole on the right cheek._

Bucky’s eyes narrowed in concentration as he started his drawing. _Cherry red lips. Dark brown curls. Striking green—_

“ _Buck_!”

Something hit Bucky’s forehead and Bucky let out a yelp. “Ouch! What the hell was that for?!”

Bucky’s best friend, Steve, was sitting on the couch, the looks of a smirk playing on his lips. He was holding a partially peeled orange in his hand. Part of the orange rind was sitting, rocking back and forth on Bucky’s blank piece of paper.

“You’re thinking about that dame again, aren’t ya? I’ve been calling your name for the past five minutes,” said Steve, amusement plain in his voice. He kept peeling his orange as he looked at Bucky knowingly.

Bucky scowled and threw down his pencil. “Is it that obvious?”

“Not really,” said Steve as he chewed on an orange slice that he’d pulled free. “Other than the fact that you were muttering something about cherry red lips and dark brown curls under your breath and you never draw, and yet here you are, trying.”

Bucky sighed and leaned back in his chair in defeat as Steve laughed, getting pelted with another piece of the orange rind. It was Christmas Day. Bucky had slept over at Steve’s that night and woke up to Steve’s fantastic pancakes, which the two had scrounged up just enough money to buy the ingredients for.

The two exchanged presents after breakfast. Bucky had gotten Steve a new sketchpad and a collection of colored pencils that had taken him a month’s worth of wages to save up for. Steve had gotten Bucky a brand-new baseball glove, which he sorely needed. And then there the two of them were, lunch time approaching, Steve eating an orange and Bucky pitifully trying to draw the nurse from the Recruitment Center last afternoon.

It was _Christmas Day_ and Bucky was in a slump, pining over a girl he didn’t even know the name of. He vaguely wondered if this was how girls felt when he left in the mornings after a one-night stand. If it was, it hurt and he suddenly realized why girls got so offended by such things. Of course, this woman hadn’t slept with him and then left, but the tight pain and annoyance in his chest sure gave Bucky the same impression. She’d turned him _down_ , for Christ’s sake. _Him_. James Buchanan Barnes.

He scowled as he looked down at his blank piece of paper, eraser marks all over it, marking up the otherwise clean sheet. He couldn’t start off the drawing correctly, no matter how hard he tried, and for once, Bucky was jealous of Steve and his natural affinity for drawing.

Closing his eyes, Bucky tried to envision the girl one more time.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

_“Excuse me! Sirs! Excuse me!”_

_Bucky frowned and looked at Steve, who shared the same expression. The two turned around, catching a glance of the dark-haired woman who was rushing towards them. Bucky’s gaze instantly zeroed in on her, his eyebrows rising slightly. He had always been one for brunettes, but she was one of the loveliest women Bucky had ever laid eyes on._

_Her dark curls fell free around her shoulders, bouncing slightly as she hurried towards them. She was a tad pale, her dark brown tresses and vibrant cherry red lipstick a violent contrast compared to her skin tone. Her face was narrow, with high cheekbones, and a soft jawline. She was dressed in the usual white army nurse’s uniform, her white hat tipping slightly on her head. A mole, not like that of a witch, but akin to a singular freckle sat on her right cheek, near and nearly aligned with the center of her nose. As she got closer, her eyes met Bucky’s and he was struck by not only how green her eyes were, but by the ring of dark gold that surrounded her irises. She was absolutely stunning and it took all of Bucky’s willpower to not let his jaw drop to the ground._

_As soon as he gathered his wits, Bucky let loose his trademark lazy grin that usually had girls everywhere falling all over him. But as soon as she saw it, she directed her attention to Steve, which had nearly blown Bucky out of the water. He wasn’t deterred though; Bucky Barnes didn’t give up without a fight._

_But whenever she gave him an attitude and told him in a slow voice, as if he was entirely stupid, that yes, she did indeed come to the Recruitment Center often, being that she worked there, it was then that Bucky knew she was different. Admittedly, Bucky knew as soon as the cheesy pickup line left his mouth, that he’d made a dire mistake. Even Steve had been snorting off to the side, knowing how terrible it sounded._

_Bucky wasn’t worried though as he forged ahead, introducing himself and Steve to the gorgeous woman, hoping to at least get a name._

_It was when he didn’t even get her name that Bucky Barnes knew he was in massive trouble._

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

Bucky blew out a breath and opened his eyes, pushing himself to his feet. “I’m going to the grocery store. Pick up an apple pie. I think we deserve this one, Stevie.” He took one last long glance at the blank page before turning to slide on his winter coat.

“Buck.”

Bucky turned as he flopped his collar down to look at his best friend. “Yeah?”

Steve shrugged at him, a glint in his eyes. “It’s one dame, Buck. Not the end of the world.” He chuckled, albeit a tad weakly. “It’s not exactly like you have a small selection.”

Bucky knew Steve was right. Heck, he knew he shouldn’t be complaining, especially to Steve. He’d tried to set up his friend on countless double dates, and they all ended the same way. Steve sitting uncomfortably as both women fawned over Bucky. His friend had had his fair share of misfortune when it came to girls. He felt a tad bit guilty for being so screwed up over being denied once by a woman he barely knew, but he couldn’t help it. Bucky Barnes wasn’t used to rejection.

Bucky sighed. “Yeah, I know. Thanks, Steve. You want anything while I’m out?”

“Nah, I’m okay,” said Steve, who had diverted his eyes from Bucky’s and was now focused on his orange, peeling it with such intense concentration that Bucky had half a mind that it’d unpeel itself.

“Alright. Lock the door for me, I’ll be back in twenty.”

“Gotcha.”

Bucky left the small apartment, closing the door softly as his mind somehow managed to drift its way back to the nameless nurse. Bucky sighed. It was going to be a long day.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Back inside, Steve had gotten up from his position on the couch and moved to where Bucky had been sitting and flipped over the sheet to clean side, free of eraser marks. He looked at the select few colored pencils that Bucky had chosen other than the sketch pencil. Red, brown, and green. _Lips, hair, and eyes,_ Steve recited in his head.

“What had Buck been saying?” muttered Steve to himself as he began to draw the basis of the unknown nurse’s head, his orange laying off to the side, forgotten. “It was…what was it…” Steve paused his drawing for a moment.

He looked at the rough estimate of the woman’s head shape, thoroughly pleased with how it had turned out when the four descriptions hit him.

“Cherry red lips, dark brown curls, striking green eyes, mole on the right cheek. Cherry red lips, dark brown curls, striking green eyes, mole on the right cheek.” Steve repeated the descriptive words over and over again in his head until he fell into a silent rhythm with himself, drawing and sketching the woman as well as he could with the only photograph of her he had imprinted in his memory. “Buck’s damn lucky I’m such a nice guy,” he muttered as he continued to draw, picking up the red pencil to start the woman’s full, red lips and facial features.

_Cherry red lips. Dark brown curls. Striking green eyes. Mole on the right cheek._

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

**December 26, 1941 –**  
The Laundromat:  
AJ’s POV

 

 

I finished putting my clothes in the dryer and inserted a quarter. After deciding the best cycle for my nurse’s uniform, I pressed the button, letting the machine begin to spin. I had been lucky enough to get off the day after Christmas, since too many had taken off Christmas Day and Doctor Paris was down a few girls. He offered me today off in exchange, which I gladly accepted. After all, my shifts weren’t long and I’d still had time to meet up with Sam again and go shopping for Dougie’s birthday.

It was late at night, almost nine o’clock. Outside, the sky was dark, the only light offered by the yellowish tint of the streetlights. Snow blew wildly across the sidewalk outside and a shiver rushed through my body at the thought of walking back outside. My apartment building was only across the street, but I still didn’t want to. It was going to be incredibly cold, the temperatures reaching the low-twenties. I also wasn’t a particular fan of walking in the darkness. I didn’t have an affinity for kidnapping.

I sighed and checked the clock on the wall. 8:59PM. I had about forty-five minutes until my clothes would be done, but I was half-tempted to leave them there until morning. I probably would end up doing so as well; I was quite tired and didn’t feel like staying up much later. My shift started the next morning at seven o’clock sharp and I hated being late. I also hated getting less than eight hour of sleep, which I wouldn’t be getting if I stayed up.

Cursing lowly, saying a few words I know my mother wouldn’t approve of, I wrenched open the door to the Laundromat and stepped into the frigid winter wind. Instinctively, I wrapped my arms tighter around myself, burying my face a bit deeper into my scarf. The icy breeze nipped at any exposed skin and I could already feel my forehead starting to numb. Growling, I slipped my uncovered fingers from my pocket and slid my hat lower down on my head, hating my decision to not wear gloves. A horrible choice, really.

I had just started to cross the deserted road when a car pulled out of an alleyway just a bit down the road and started my direction. The headlights momentarily blinded me, but I ducked my head down and continued across the street, ignoring the spike of fear that shot through me. It was late to be driving, especially in nasty weather like such. I knew I was being irrational to some degree. I was fine.

Or so I thought.

The car stopped behind me as I hit the other side of the sidewalk. I increased my pace slightly, but only slightly because the cement was slippery from the ice and I didn’t want to risk slipping and falling. When I heard the door to the vehicle open, all reason for caution abandoned me. I started to break into a sprint when a bag covered my head and a pair of arms slipped around me: one holding my arms down to keep me from thrashing, the other covering my mouth so I couldn’t scream.

Despite their efforts, I kicked and screamed as best I could against whoever was trying to kidnap me. There must have been two or three men because the next time I kicked, someone caught my legs and held them tightly, tying them together. Another did the same with my hands. I was forced into the backseat of the vehicle as I screamed bloody murder and the door shut on my yells, which had been lost in the icy winter wind anyway.

The car began pulling away from the curb and I stopped screaming when I realized it was no use. Tears were starting to slip down my cheeks, but I set my jaw. I was not going to be weak in this situation. I couldn’t afford to be. I quieted my hiccups and low cries and focused on the turns the vehicle was making, memorizing them to the best of my ability.

The car was completely and utterly silent except for the hum of the engine and my occasional hiccup. No one was speaking and it was kind of starting to freak me out. Not that I already wasn’t freaked out from the fact that I was being kidnapped, but the whole silence thing just added to my pure-blooded terror.

After what could have been hours, or it could have been mere minutes, the car came to a stop. However long it had been, it still felt like an eternity to me. My car door was wrenched open and I was pulled roughly out and stood up on the ground, my feet crunching in the snow. I felt the restraints on my legs loosen and whatever had been constricting them was pulled away a moment later. A hand on the small of my back shoved me forward. I stumbled a bit before I caught my footing and began walking.

Before I got very far, two hands landed on my shoulders, stopping me. I heard the sound of a door open and a rough, calloused hand grasped my own. I fought the urge to pull away as my captor raised my hand, leading me forward a bit. I understood his meaning a moment later, lifting my left foot a tad higher as I took my next step. I had been correct as my foot landed not on ground, but tile flooring, my shoes squeaking a bit with the wetness of the melted snow.

I was led into what I could only assume was an elevator as I stood still, well aware of my captors with me, feeling as gravity shifted as we moved upwards. After a few painful seconds of listening to horrible elevator music with my kidnappers, the doors slid open with a ding. The kidnappers led me to another door, I assumed, when I heard a key slide into a lock and the door open with a click.

As soon as the door shut behind me, the black bag was removed from my head, my eyes starting to adjust to the bright lighting in the room and then whatever was binding my hands was cut from my wrists. I blinked a few times as my pupils dilated, my gaze focusing on a dark haired man standing in the middle of the room.

My two captors had moved away from me, towards the kitchen area of the small apartment that I was confined to. It was sparsely furnished and it was by no means in livable condition, but I supposed I had just been kidnapped. Five star accommodations weren’t exactly to be expected.

The yellow-tinted lights were all on in the small room and when my eyes had finally adjusted enough that I could see well, I finally realized who was standing in the middle of the room, looking at me intently. I almost didn’t believe it until he spoke, his smooth voice, sliding across my ears like I’d heard on televisions sets so many times before.

“You know, on that podium when you spoke at your graduation, you looked…taller.”

Before me was Howard Stark, genius inventor and renowned playboy to all women everywhere. If I had been Lydia or Jane, I would have fainted on the spot. I was suddenly thankful for my immunity to arrogant boyish charm. It seemed to be coming in handy lately, like with that soldier from the Recruitment Center. James. James Barnes, had been his name. Bucky.

Stark was dressed impeccably in his black pants and shirt with the white vest and black suede shoes. His dark hair was carefully slicked back, much like James’s only two days earlier. His moustache had been recently trimmed and his trademark playboy smirk played on his lips. In his left hand he held a thick manila folder tucked under his arm and in his right, a glass of liquor, neat, that he took a sip from as his dark brown eyes traveled me up and down.

I glanced at his two companions, who had filled themselves their own glass, a look of amusement shining on their hardened features.

“Okay…” I said, taking a deep breath, “What the hell?! You were at my graduation?!”

Stark finished off his drink with a singular raised eyebrow and moseyed over to the countertop where he set the glass down. “Usually that’s not the first response I get when most women see me.”

“I’m not most women,” I countered, my eyes flashing. “You just kidnapped me for God’s sake, what did you expect? Me to throw myself at you like some cheap show girl?”

“Hey!” Stark snapped. “My show girls are not cheap. And,” he shrugged, “an engineer can only hope.”

My eyes rolled so hard, I thought they’d fall out of my head. “So, what do I owe the pleasure, _Mr. Stark_?”

Stark looked at me critically and looked at one of his companions. “Is she giving me an attitude? I think so. What do you think, Vinnie?”

One of the brick walls of a man, Vinnie, shrugged, “I think that’s sarcasm, boss,” he confirmed.

“Right, sarcasm. I suppose I deserve it, don’t I?” Stark offered an apologetic half-smile.

“You did kidnap me while I was trying to do my laundry,” I pointed out, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Right.” Stark swallowed, looking a bit uncomfortable. “Well, it’s not like I could just go see you on a normal day. The press would eat that up, especially with my reputation with women. I had to talk to you but…inconspicuously.”

“You know, my landline’s in the phonebook,” I drawled, raising an eyebrow, “You could have just called to arrange a meeting.”

“Uh, yeah, but, uh, what fun is that? Never mind,” Stark waved his hand aside. “We have things to talk about, Ms. Frost.”

“I take it you know me,” I noted.

Stark took a seat on the moth-eaten couch across the living area and looked at me conspiratorially. “Yeah, something like that. Come on, sit down, we have a lot to discuss.”

I moved over to his location, my arms never uncrossing, and I didn’t sit down. “I think I’d rather stand.”

Stark scowled at me and stood back up, shifting the manila folder under his arm. I caught a glance of a black stamp on the front, but I couldn’t quite make out the figure. “Fine, but that means we both have to stand.”

I creased my eyebrows in question.

“It’s awkward if one sits and one stands, I don’t know, I don’t make the rules,” Stark waved the thought aside, “Anyhow. Yes, I do know you, Ms. Frost. In fact, I know a lot about you.” He began to pace as he spoke. “Born Adelyn Juliet Frost on February 14, 1918. Your dad’s a factory worker in Manhattan and your mom used to work at one of the local shirtwaist companies. You have five brothers and you’re the second youngest of all of them, but the most intelligent. You graduated high school at age sixteen, got your bachelor’s at twenty, masters at twenty-one, and your doctorate last year from Harvard University for biochemistry. You enlisted to help with the army in their field nursing programs and have been doing so ever since. How am I doing so far, Ms. Frost?”

My jaw had merely dropped as he continued to rattle off facts about my life that not many people knew, much less that I thought Howard Stark would know. I wasn’t exactly an open person. “How-How do you know all of that?”

Stark set the manila file on the countertop and looked at me, spreading his arms wide. “I didn’t do all the research; I’m just here to recruit and convince you come aboard our little project. Your personal stalker that managed to dig up all that would be one Colonel Chester Phillips. He pulled a few military favors.”

But I had stopped listening after Stark said the word ‘recruit’. “Recruit? Recruit me for what?”

“And that, darling, is the million dollar question.” Stark slid the file off of the desk and handed it to me. The folder was at least a half of an inch thick, filled with handwritten and typed documents and packets alike. The seal on the front of the file that I’d caught a glimpse of earlier was prominent now against the tan exterior. It was an eagle, its wings spread, the three letters ‘SSR’ in a shield shaped symbol on the eagle’s chest. On the line at the bottom of the file marked ‘topic’, two words were scrawled there in messy handwriting with black marker. ‘Project Rebirth.’

“The ‘SSR’?” I asked. “‘Project Rebirth?’ What is all of this?”

Stark clapped his hands and folded himself into a seated position on the couch. “ _This_ is where you might want to sit down,” he said, gesturing at the seat beside him.

I sat down as he looked over to his two companions, who were still watching us intently. “You know, you two can leave now,” said Howard.

One of them—Vinnie—opened his mouth, but Stark cut him off, “I’ll transfer the money to your bank accounts, don’t worry about it.”

Vinnie looked dubiously at his partner, but they both shrugged and Vinnie looked back at us.

“Noon tomorrow,” he said, a hint of a warning lacing the undertones of his voice.

“Noon tomorrow,” Stark agreed.

The two men set their glasses in the sink and were gone a moment later.

“So those guys were…” I prompted.

“Actual convicts, yes, but!” he cut me off at my look of horror, “But I was paying them enough that they wouldn’t have harmed you! It was perfectly safe!”

“Right!” I squeaked my voice coming out an octave higher than usual, “Perfectly safe.”

“Anyway, the SSR.” Stark opened took the manila file gingerly from my hands and set it on the coffee table before us. He opened it and took out a photo of a man. He was in a standard army uniform with a patch on his shoulder. It was a skull with tentacles curling out around it. The man’s hair was styled back, his head was a tad long, and his beady eyes made me uneasy, whether it was a mere photograph or not. “Have you ever seen this man?”

I shook my head.

“Or that symbol?” Howard pointed to the skull and tentacles.

I shook my head once more.

“Good. You don’t want to. Unfortunately, though, you’re about to.”

I glared half-heartedly at Howard but it didn’t faze him.

“That’s Johann Schmidt. He runs the Nazi deep science division called HYDRA. Or at least, it was Nazi affiliated. HYDRA seems to be separating further and further from Nazi agenda as of late. A lot of people don’t know it exists. Hell, a lot of soldiers out there preparing don’t know it exists. Point is, they’re dangerous and they have weaponry capable of taking down not only the Allies, but the Axis Powers as well. They tried to kill me last year, in fact. It’s when I joined the SSR.”

“And that is…?” I asked, trying to absorb all the information that was being handed to me.

“SSR stands for Strategic Scientific Reserve. It’s a top secret Allied war agency formed by President Roosevelt to fight HYDRA specifically. Your stalker, Colonel Chester Phillips? He’s the leader of this whole thing. So far, it consists of Phillips, me, a German scientist, and a British spy.”

“A German scientist?!” I hissed. And then in a more confused tone, “And a British spy?”

Howard shook his head. Apparently, somewhere in the time that we’d been speaking, I’d started referring to him as ‘Howard’ in my head. Weird. I shook my head, focusing on the genius as he continued to explain. “Doctor Abraham Erskine. He was recruited by Hitler to make him an army, but lucky for us, Erskine doesn’t share a Nazi viewpoint. He’s a nice guy, our lead man on Project Rebirth. And the British spy is Peggy Carter. Reminds me of you actually, but with more…physical strength. Brilliant woman. Doesn’t take shit from anyone.”

I smiled a bit at Howard and he grinned back. Despite what I’d heard in the tabloids, I liked Howard Stark. He was pretty down-to-earth so far, but part of me also figured it was because he was talking to me on behalf of government business. He’d probably get his ass kicked if he wasn’t professional.

“So, you’ve mentioned this ‘Project Rebirth’ a couple times. What’s that?”

“That’s the icing on the cake, Ms. Frost.”

“Please, you’ve already kidnapped me and held me against my will. Call me AJ,” I quipped.

Howard grinned back. “You’re never going to let me live this down, are you?”

“On the off-chance that I do accept this proposal, no, no I won’t,” I replied with a cheeky grin.

“Whatever, Ms. F—AJ,” he corrected himself. “So, Project Rebirth. It’s what the SSR is centered around. Our main focal point to take down HYDRA.” Howard shifted himself on the couch a tad so he was facing me a bit more, his elbows resting on his knees.

“November of last year, Doctor Erskine, the German doc I told you about, was kidnapped by Johann Schmidt. For the last year or so, Erskine had been working on some type of super serum. To make a human the best human alive. Peak physical condition. The perfect human being. Well Old Schmiddy found out. He forced the good doc to use his incomplete serum on him. Well, afterwards, Erskine was rescued by Agent Carter and they escaped Schmiddy. But Schmidt,” Howard paused as he pulled another picture from the file, this one colorized, “became this.”

I stared in horror at the page. It was the same man, all right, with the high cheekbones and beady eyes, but his normal skin was gone. His hair as well. His entire face and neck were blood red.

“As you can see, Doc’s serum isn’t quite yet perfected. And we now call Old Schmiddy the Red Skull.”

“Gee,” I said in mock surprise, “I wonder how you guys came up with that one.”

Howard rolled his eyes. “Right, right, laugh it up now, but Schmidt’s no joke. He’s incredibly dangerous. For the most part, Erskine’s serum worked. He’s faster, stronger, better than ever. Just…a bit more red than we’d like for our soldiers.”

“ _Our_ soldiers?” I demanded.

Howard exhaled and threaded his fingers together. “ _That’s_ what Project Rebirth is. Perfecting Erskine’s serum. Making the perfect super soldier to help fight against HYDRA. Using the perfected serum and Vita rays from the Vita chamber, we can create the most elite soldier to ever grace this planet. Better than even Schmidt.”

“So what do you need me for?” I asked, even though I had a sinking feeling I already knew the answer.

“We need your knowledge of biochemistry to help perfect the serum. Erskine’s a geneticist. He just needs a bit of your guidance and we’ll be golden!”

“So, to sum things up,” I said slowly, “you want me to join a top-secret organization that consists of you, some army colonel, a German geneticist, and a British spy to help perfect a serum that turned an evil madman into an evil, ugly madman to inject into our own soldiers and hope that they don’t turn out like Old Schmiddy?”

Howard frowned at me. “When you put it that way, it sounds terrible.”

I shrugged. “Yeah, kinda.”

Howard shook his head, turning his body more towards me. “Think about it, AJ. The Nazis are enough of a force to reckon with without adding HYDRA to the mix. Honestly, I think HYDRA is more dangerous than Hitler and his Nazis. We need to fight back. We need soldiers strong enough to fight back. Even if it’s just one, it’s enough.

“Look, I’m not here to force you to do anything. The colonel said you had a choice. You can walk away now as long as you don’t breathe a word of this to anyone, and we’ll trust you not to. Or, you can have a chance to be a part of this. A chance to stop HYDRA and save the world. Isn’t this what you were talking about in your speech, AJ?” Howard’s voice had gone soft. “A chance to make a difference?”

I made the mistake of meeting his eyes. They were big and brown and pleading, just like my childhood dog, Piston, a golden lab who had died when I was just twelve. Howard’s expression was akin somewhat to a begging puppy and I knew at that moment he had me hooked.

Not _just_ because of the puppy dog eyes, but because he was right. I finally had a chance to make a difference in the world, to be a part of something huge, something bigger than myself.

Howard certainly didn’t seem like bad company either; I wasn’t exactly gaining in the friend department. I had Jane and Lydia, but they were girls and girls would be girls. It would be nice to get away from it, I supposed.

I swallowed slightly. “What about my job? My friends, my family?”

Howard scoffed. “We aren’t leaving the city. Tomorrow, if you like and agree, I can show you where Erskine and I are working. It’s just in the city, actually. You don’t have to quit your job, I’ll just pull a few favors with Phillips and have your shifts shortened so you can work with us during the nights. As for your family though…they can't know a thing. Understand?”

“Understood,” I said with an affirmative nod.

Howard’s face brightened considerably and a broad grin broke out across his face. “Does that mean you’re in?”

I took a deep breath. I wasn’t quite sure what I was about to get myself into, but Howard Stark of all people needed my help. The world needed my help. And I wasn’t going to let them down.

“I’m in.”


	4. three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [AJ FROST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35550753)   
>  [OC MASTERLIST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35551293)

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

**March 2, 1942 – Prospect Park, New York City, New York**

 

 

It was warm for March in New York City that day. Almost seventy degrees, rain drizzling lazily all over the town. The sky was gray, but there was light behind the clouds, signaling that yes, the sun was up there somewhere. I felt a bit overdressed with my rain jacket on, but I didn’t feel like soaking head to toe, which was a weak excuse, considering the rain was barely coming down.

Beside me walked Frank Jackson, who had just gotten back last week from basic training in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. I wasn’t sure how it happened or how he found me, but we’d been spending quite a bit of time together since he got back. He’d showed up last Monday on the door step of the Recruitment Center in his army formal wear, looking handsomer than ever. I found myself agreeing to a date for the first time ever, which I knew was a bad decision.

Frank had informed me on everything that had happened in the past three months that he’d been gone. He’d be joining the 67th Infantry Regiment in the 9th Infantry Division. His lieutenant was apparently a big brute of a man who didn’t take anyone’s crap. Frank had been directly promoted to corporal by his staff sergeant and he really liked to show off his badge. They were being deployed in November to North Africa. Thousands of miles away.

I wasn’t sure why that bothered me. He was a soldier. Soldiers got deployed. It wasn’t like it was uncommon. Still, though, it rubbed me the wrong way.

We had just finished dinner and Frank was walking me home, back to my apartment in Brooklyn. It had been our fourth date in the past week. I wasn’t used to spending that much time with a guy that wasn’t my brother. It was odd, but I definitely didn’t mind it.

I wasn’t exactly sure how I felt about Frank. He was a sweet guy and very attractive, but he was my first date. My very first date, ever. I didn’t know what to make of all of the emotions that were rolling around inside of me like a kaleidoscope while I was around him. On the other hand, he was the first guy that met all of my standards, and that had to count for something. Manners were a rarity to find and Frank was one of the few men I’d ever met that possessed them. He didn’t treat me like a piece of meat, but as a human, and I wasn’t sure if what I felt toward him for that was graciousness or attraction.

On the other hand, I supposed I had time to figure it out.

“AJ?”

“Hm?” I looked at Frank and it took me a second to realize we were no longer in Prospect Park. Cars rumbled down the road of the inner city and familiar buildings surrounded me. We were on the steps to my apartment building.

Frank smiled at me, all brilliant white teeth. He raked his hand through his blond hair, his gaze never breaking from mine. “We’re, uh, we’re back at your place.”

“I noticed,” I drawled.

Frank’s expression seemed to turn a bit sheepish and his neck flushed a bit. “Right, so you have,” he said. An awkward silence ensued, and it was the first time that it ever had between us. Frank and I just clicked, so I wasn’t used to the strange quiet that enveloped us.

“So, listen, Adelyn, I’ve been meaning to ask you somethin’—”

“Whoa, hold up, take a step back there, cowboy,” I interrupted, holding a hand up.

Frank froze, midsentence, his mouth hanging open. “Yeah?”

“Did you just call me ‘Adelyn’?” I asked, a laugh bubbling up in my throat.

Frank’s blush grew deeper, a shade of red so dark, that it contrasted violently with his olive drab shirt, making him look like an off-color Christmas tree. “Um, yeah, I-I guess I did. Is that alright?”

I was a bit caught off-guard by his response. No one called me ‘Adelyn’ unless it was my parents and they were angry at me. And then after that would follow ‘Juliet’ and then I really knew I was in trouble. I knitted my eyebrows together and cocked my head at Frank. “Um, sure, if you want, I mean.”

Frank visibly relaxed, but only slightly. “Oh, good. Okay, so like I was saying, I’ve been meaning to ask you something.” He took a deep breath and cleared his throat, wringing his hands.

Oh no. I knew that expression. It was the same one I’d wore before my graduation speech. The same hand wringing and nervous throat clearing. Frank was about to give me a speech. And I had a feeling that this wasn’t going to be a speech I was ready to hear.

“So, we’ve spent quite a bit of time together these past two weeks, and I’ve had a great time with you, Adelyn. You’re everything my mama told me to look for in a girl. Pretty, intelligent, with a dash of dry humor. ‘That’s what you want, Frankie,’ she used to say. ‘Find one just like that and never let her go.’ And I don’t intend on letting you go.”

I opened my mouth to interrupt, a heavy blush settling on my cheeks as I realized what he was insinuating, but Frank held a hand up.

“Just…just let me finish. I know we’ve only been seeing each other for the past couple weeks, but I feel like we’ve come a long way. You opened up to me, which something tells me you don’t do often, especially with guys. I really, really like you, Adelyn. I’ve took a few women out on dates, but I’ve never really felt something like this with them. You’re special, AJ. Special to me, whether you think so or not.

“So I wrestled with the idea of how to ask you this for the past day or so and this speech was what I came up with.”

“What—”

Frank reached out and took my hand, kissing it softly, effectively silencing me. The most physical contact we’d ever had was holding hands in the park and a quick hug as we’d said goodbye. He was close to me, closer than he’d ever been, a nervous smile playing across his lips. “So, Adelyn Juliet Frost…will you go steady with me?”

I was stunned. I’d never even been on a single date before Frank, much less go steady with anyone. Did he realize what he was asking me? To actually date-date him? Exclusively? I grasped for words to say, something, anything, but nothing was coming to mind. My thought process had shut down. I know it was stupid, it wasn’t like he was asking me to marry him, but for little innocent me, he might as well have been.

I didn’t get a chance to answer though as a convertible pulled up to the side of the road. My glassy eyes fixed on the driver as he climbed out of the car and pulled off his aviator sunglasses, sliding them into his chest pocket on his gray suit vest and started toward Frank and me. He came to a halt, eyes wide as his gaze flickered between me and the solider holding my hand.

“Am I interrupting?” asked Howard Stark, his tone suspicious, eyes narrowed at Frank.

“No,” I squeaked out as Frank said, “Yes,” in a slightly threatened tone.

“Okay…uh, Doctor Erskine believes he’s made a significant breakthrough in the vaccine,” said Howard, his gaze finally shifting to me. “He wants you to come in.”

“A vaccine? You’re working on a vaccine with Howard Stark? Isn’t he an engineer?” demanded Frank. Before I could respond, Frank whirled on Howard. “Aren’t you an engineer?”

“I am, but I’m funding the vaccine,” said Howard smoothly. Howard and I had become quite the liars as we learned to cover up our work on Project Rebirth in the company of others. We had enough code words that we were able to have an entire discussion about the serum in public without anyone thinking twice about it.

But even though over the last few months Howard and I became close friends and impeccable liars, we’d never thought of the answer to one question. The question that Frank asked next:

“Vaccine for what?”

“Vaccine for what?” Howard repeated, somewhat confused.

“Yeah, a vaccine for what?” asked Frank again, looking a tad impatient.

Howard met my eyes over Frank’s shoulder and gave me a look that said _What do I say?_

I shrugged, hoping to convey the message _I don’t know, don’t ask me!_

“Right, the vaccine’s purpose. Why don’t you tell your boyfriend here what the vaccine is for, Ms. Frost?” said Howard, gesturing broadly to me.

I shot Howard a downright murderous glare before Frank turned around. Once Frank was facing me and a smile was plastered on my face, Howard mouthed to me, Sorry.

“The vaccine is for…polio,” I managed, proud that my voice didn’t betray the lie. “And he’s not my boyfriend,” I added.

“Polio?” Frank asked, his nose screwed up adorably, but when he heard my next words, he seemed to deflate and I instantly felt bad.

I cleared my throat. “Polio,” I confirmed. “They had a close one back in ’36, but it didn’t work. Stark’s funding me and another doctor’s work.”

A huge smile broke out on Frank’s face, the disappointment on his features dissipating completely. “That’s wonderful, AJ! My little cousin has polio, I’m so proud of you!”

My heart broke as he spoke. I said a silent prayer that Frank would never find out that I wasn’t actually working on a polio vaccine to help his cousin. Howard was staring at me in horror when he heard Frank’s words and drawing a finger across his neck sending one message clearly: Abort mission.

I cleared my throat and looked at Howard. “So you need me then, Mr. Stark?”

Howard stopped jerking his finger across his throat as Frank looked at him. “Right, um, yes, A-Ms. Frost. We need you. Right now.”

“Okay, I’ll meet you in the car.” I looked back at Frank as Howard retreated to his convertible.

“Can we talk about this later?”

“Later?” asked Frank, “But—”

Howard honked the horn as he started the vehicle.

“I’m sorry, Frank, really, but this is really important. I’ll call you, okay?”

“Uh, okay,” said Frank, dropping my hand, looking thoroughly defeated.

What happened next, I’m not sure why I did it. Maybe it was because I wanted to. Maybe I just felt bad for the guy. Whatever it was, it happened. I touched Frank’s clean-shaven cheek and gave him a feather light peck on the lips, maybe half a second long. When I pulled away, I hurried down the stairs and climbed in the passenger seat of Howard’s car.

Howard, who had put back on his sunglasses, pulled them down a fraction on his nose. “Did you just do what I think you did?” he asked, eyes narrowed.

I groaned. “Just drive, would ya?”

Howard chuckled heartily and pulled away from the curb, honking his horn. I glanced back at Frank, who was still standing on the stairs to my apartment building, a confused expression on his face, his hand in the air as a way to say goodbye.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

The ride to the SSR base was, in one word, long. The silence between Howard and I was practically unbearable. The warm spring wind was blowing my hair in all kinds of directions as Howard had the car’s top down. He drove with his eyes not leaving the road once to look at me, which Howard never did. He wasn’t exactly a model driver, but today he seemed to be.

“Would you please talk to me?” I whined, my voice coming out much more annoying than I had intended.

Howard was silent. He turned his head to look at me slightly, and then his eyes went right back to the road. After a few beats of silence, I was about to say something, but Howard beat me to it. “Polio…” he said slowly. “You just told him you’re working on the vaccine…for polio.” He wrinkled his nose. “Couldn’t you have come up with something less…I don’t know, less groundbreaking?”

I flung my hands in the air. “I didn’t exactly have time to come up with a quality lie, Howard! You kinda put me on the spot!”

“I suppose I did,” admitted Howard. Then a disbelieving grin came across his face. “You told him you’re working on a polio vaccine,” he drawled, “and his cousin has polio.”

I groaned and leaned back, my head smacking against the headrest. “I know, I know. I’m never living this one down.”

“If they ever actually do come up with a polio vaccine and that guy survives the war? Yeah, you’re definitely never living it down,” snorted Howard between laughs. “And then…and then you…you kissed him!”

“Not a word to Erskine!” I growled lowly. “Look, Frank is just…just a friend.”

“Seemed to be a lot more than a friend ten minutes ago.”

“Is that jealousy I detect, Stark?” I teased.

Howard raised an eyebrow and I saw his eyes roll behind his sunglasses. “Not on your life, Frost. Not on your life.”

“Whatever. He’s a nice guy and I…I wouldn’t mind going steady with him,” I mumbled.

“Going steady?” said Howard, disbelief coloring his tone. He looked at me sharply. “Who said anything about going steady?” Understanding dawned on him a moment later and he stared at me as we came to a stoplight. “Did Frank…did he just ask you to go steady?”

“He might have,” I said in an uncharacteristically small voice.

“And if I may inquire, what did you say?!”

“I didn’t!”

“You didn’t?!”

“I didn’t get the chance to! That’s when you pulled up and interrupted!”

“Aw, shoot, I ruined your moment didn’t I?” whined Howard.

“No, no,” I said quickly, “you were fine. Actually, thank you for that.”

“Thank you?”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome? I think?”

I sighed. “Look, Howard, I’ve…I’ve never actually dated anyone before, okay? That’s why I’m so nervous. I know it’s not a big deal, but it just is to me.”

“Well, how long have you known this guy?”

I glanced over at Howard, whose voice had taken on a noticeably serious tone to it. There was no smirk on his face, no laughter bubbling up. He looked like he actually wanted to be helpful, which was mildly terrifying, especially since this was my practically nonexistent love life we were talking about.

Howard looked at my bewildered expression and rolled his eyes. “I’m trying to be helpful, AJ, don’t look so surprised. You’re like a little sister to me; it’s my job to question you about boys.”

“Please,” I drawled, “I have enough big brothers to make my life a nightmare, I do not need one more.”

“Too bad!” said Howard cheerfully. “Now answer the damn question before I change my mind.”

I blew out a breath and combed my fingers carefully through my knotted curls from the wind. “I met him at the Recruitment Center. I was the nurse who ran his check-up. He had been really nice. And then just last week he showed up, outta basic and the rest is history.”

“How many dates?”

I pursed my lips. “That was the fourth.”

“How are his manners?”

“Geez, Howard, what is this, an interrogation?”

“Answer the question, AJ!”

“They’re great!” I exclaimed finally. “He’s amazing, Howard. He’s polite and funny and sophisticated and he treats me like a princess. He’s the first guy to ever meet my standards and they’re pretty hard to meet.”

“Then why are you so hesitant?” Howard asked, tilting his head at me as he parked the convertible on the curb. He lowered his sunglasses on his nose, his dark eyes searching mine for an answer.

“I don’t know,” I confessed, wringing my hands. “He’s a soldier, you know? He’s going to be shipped out in November and there’s no guarantee he’ll ever come back. I just don’t want to get my heart broken. I don’t know if I could handle it.”

“Well,” said Howard as he folded up the glasses and slid them his pocket. “That’s the thing about love, doll. It’s a risk. It’s chancy. It’s why I don’t get involved in it, but I’m not exactly a Grade A role model. It’s scary and I’m scared.” He got out of the car, walking around to my side and opening the door for me. “But I also haven’t found the right person. It seems to me that Frank could be the guy for you, AJ. Don’t let him get away just because you’re scared.”

I stared at Howard as I got out of the car. My eyes were narrowed suspiciously as I looked at the engineer. “When did America’s Mustachioed Casanova become so insightful on the topic of love?” I teased lightly.

Howard snorted lowly and shook his head. “About ten seconds ago.” He jerked his chin to the little antique shop that hid the SSR base below. “We should get inside. Erskine’s waiting.”

“Big news?”

Howard grinned at me. “Trust me, AJ. We’re closer than ever.”

I smiled back. “Well, I’d like to hope so. Wouldn’t want all this secrecy and a fake polio vaccine to go to waste.”

Howard snickered a bit to himself and held the door to Brooklyn Antiques for me. “Shall we, Ms. Frost?”

I stepped in and curtsied lightly to Howard. “We shall, Mr. Stark,” and we went to work.


	5. four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [AJ FROST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35550753)   
>  [OC MASTERLIST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35551293)

 

* * *

 

 

I ended up taking Howard Stark’s love advice, which are eight words I never thought I’d say in a million years. After we finished working that day, I went home and slept on it, getting some much needed rest. When I woke up, I realized that Howard was right, another six words that I’d hoped to never admit. I saw Frank that day and we went on our fifth date. He asked me to go steady again that night.

That time, I said yes.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

**November 9, 1942 – Central Park, New York City, New York**

 

 

The entire family was in New York City for George’s marriage to Sally, the God awful cook. Sam and Eileen had come up with Dougie and little Lauren Grace, who was just fourteen weeks old. Westley flew in from the Pacific coast. We’d received a letter from him back in mid-January to assure us that he was okay. Charlie and Henry carpooled with me and Frank, who I decided to take as my plus one.

Central Park was gorgeous that day. It wasn’t as cold as it could have been and I opted to wear one of my lighter coats over my lilac purple dress. The wedding was sparsely crowded, only a small family gathering like George wanted. I sat near the front with Frank as the procession droned on, trying to stay interested.

It wasn’t going so well.

I’d never been a huge fan of weddings. I tended to get bored easily and weddings were extremely tedious in my opinion. That viewpoint was not shared by either of my friends, Jane nor Lydia, who had each gotten an invitation of their own. They sat to my left, staring wide-eyed at the ceremony and paying extensive attention to every little detail going on. To my right, though, Frank looked just as bored as I was.

His lithe and muscular arm was wrapped around my shoulders, playing aimlessly with my curly hair. He hadn’t been himself lately, but I didn’t blame him. He was being shipped out within the month and he was noticeably nervous. Wearing his army formal attire, he looked very sophisticated and handsome. The only thing I didn’t like about Frank’s look was that he insisted on getting his hair cut short before he was deployed. It was too short, but I let it go. He didn’t need me adding stress to his life.

I found myself thinking about Frank and me for the remainder of the service. Things had been going remarkably well between us over the past few months and Howard took every chance he got to rub it in my face. He’d started calling himself the Mustachioed Cupid. I hit him every time he referred to himself that way.

On the other hand, I wondered how things were _actually_ going. After all, this was my first legitimate relationship. I was twenty-four for crying out loud! Still though, the dreaded question nagged in the back of my mind. Was this actually love, or just affection? I wasn’t sure.

I frowned at the thought. I _hated_ not being sure. That was one reason I loved science. With science, there was a sure reason and answer for everything I did. There was no in between, no maybe. But with life, there were always those questions. Love was one of the world’s great mysteries that only a few had figured out, and I sure as heck was not one of them.

When the service was finally over, that confused frown was still plastered on my face. Someone had started up a record player, and everywhere around me, couples danced. Jane and Lydia had even found themselves a couple of partners, who I assumed were a couple of George’s friends.

I found Frank’s fingers as they tucked under my chin and he turned my head to face him, a curious expression lighting up his features. “You’ve had that same frown on your face for the past half hour of the service,” he said. “Something on your mind?”

Without really thinking about it, I shook my head. I didn’t want Frank to know I was having second thoughts, especially considering things were going so well. I didn’t want him to blame himself. I didn’t want him to go off to North Africa thinking that I didn’t feel anything for him at all, because I did. I just wasn’t quite sure what it was yet.

“I’m fine, Frank,” I said, a grin spreading across my lips. When he didn’t look entirely convinced, I shed off my jacket and stood up, taking Frank’s hand in mine and tugging him towards where everyone was dancing. “C’mon.”

At that, Frank smiled at me and swept me over to the little area where people danced around us. Frank took one of my hands and I put the other around his neck. George’s favorite type of swing music was playing, so the dancing was upbeat, more so than Frank was used to, I could tell. Frank certainly wasn’t the most coordinated dancer, but he didn’t step on my feet, and that was enough for me.

I forgot about all my worries, the question of love shoved back to the back of my mind as I let

Frank sweep me away with the music. After a few tracks, the tune slowed down to a slower song. I locked my fingers behind Frank’s neck and his own hands hovered over my waist carefully.

I raised an eyebrow with him, a small smirk playing along my lips. “You know, we’ve been going steady for almost nine months. You’re allowed to touch me. We’ve been dancing before.”

“I know,” murmured Frank, his husky voice low in my ear. “But it’s never been in front of your parents or five brothers…”

I laughed and shook my head. “Mom likes you. All my brothers like you. Dad tolerates you, though I think ‘tolerate’ is the only word he’ll ever use when it comes to suitable guys for me. It’s okay, Frank.”

He let loose a defeated sigh and his warm hands settled on my hips. “Fine. But if I get in trouble, I’m telling your dad it was your idea.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re over exaggerating.”

“Really? Am I?” Frank’s eyes diverted from mine for a second, looking past me, before he looked at me again. “Because good old Mr. Frost is heading this way right now.”

As if on cue, Dad appeared, raising an eyebrow as he looked between Frank and I. “You don’t mind if I cut in for a dance with my only daughter, do you, Frank?”

Frank laughed, though it was a bit forced, and shook his head, taking a step back from me. “Not at all, sir.” He looked at me. “I’ll grab some wedding cake?”

“Yeah, I’ll be over in a second,” I said. Frank looked at my dad once before kissing the top of my head and heading over to where the food was set out.

I rested one arm around Dad’s neck and the let him take my other hand as he narrowed his eyes after Frank. “Kissing your head with me around? The kid has guts.”

“Leave him alone, Dad,” I said good-naturedly. “He’s probably the nicest guy that I could have found. He met the standards.”

“Yeah, well, he doesn’t meet _my_ standards,” grumbled my dad.

“Your standards are to ‘not join the military’, which is kind of difficult considering we’re at war right now, Daddy,” I pointed out. “Your standards are actually impossible to meet.”

“No they aren’t,” he argued. “Look at Sam, George, and Charlie! They didn’t enlist!”

“You wouldn’t let them enlist,” I deadpanned.

“Yeah, and West shouldn’t have enlisted either. The kid always did have a rebellious streak,” he said, fondness breaking through the hard tone in his voice.

I looked at my second-oldest brother. He was smiling and talking to Frank by the cake. He looked happier than I’d seen him in a long time.

“So, uh, Addie, I wanted to talk to you about something.”

I turned my head at my dad’s voice, which sounded decidedly uncomfortable. He looked just as nervous as George while he was saying vows only forty minutes ago. “About what?”

“About Frank.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Oh-kay…what about him?”

“I just…I wanted to let you know…even though he doesn’t meet my standards…if he’s the one, I’m okay with it,” he finished.

I stared at my dad. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. _The one?_ Frank was _the first_. I barely knew how I felt about Frank, much less whether or not he was ‘the one’. I opened my mouth to say something snarky, but I closed it when I saw my dad’s face. Were those…tears? And then it hit me. I was my dad’s _only_ daughter. The only one he’d ever have to give away. And he was offering to, if I wanted it. I couldn’t imagine how hard it was for him to say those words to me.

Instead of laughing or reassuring my dad that I didn’t even know where Frank and I were going, I hugged him tightly. “Thank you, Daddy,” I whispered. “I love you.”

“You’re welcome, Addie,” he said, squeezing me tightly. “I love you, too.”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

**December 3, 1942 – The New York Port of Embarkation, New York City, New York**

 

 

 

It was the day after Frank and I’s ten-month anniversary. He was being shipped out. I stood on the port with Frank, our fingers tangled together. We stared at the large ocean liner before us, the _Monarco_.

Frank turned to me and took my other hand. “So I guess this is goodbye.”

I couldn’t help the tears that threatened to fall down my cheeks. “Only temporarily,” I said.

“Hey, don’t cry,” Frank whispered. He brushed the tears from my cheeks and smiled at me. “I’ll come back for you. Okay?”

I gave him a watery smile. “Promise?”

“I promise I’ll come back for you, Adelyn Juliet. But now you promise me something.”

“Anything.”

“Marry me.”

My mind went blank. The ocean breeze blew across the port, drying my salty tears to my face. I said the only thing that came to mind. “What?”

“Marry me,” Frank said again, his voice a bit desperate. “When I get back. You said it yourself, this is only temporary. And things have been going so well. I already asked your dad, back at George’s wedding. He said he was okay with it. I don’t have the rings yet, but I’ll get them as soon as I get home. So what do you say, huh?” He pulled his silver cross necklace out from under his shirt and gently turned me around. “It would be great. We’d be amazing together, you and me,” he said. His fingers brushed my hair out of the way as he lowered the necklace around my neck and locked it together. “So, Adelyn? Whaddya say?”

I’m not exactly sure what happened next. The words kind of tumbled out of my mouth without warning or any thought. In the rational part of my mind, they made sense. I wasn’t convinced when he first asked me and after all of his begging, I _still_ wasn’t convinced. Yeah, the last ten months had been great, but I still didn’t know if I was in love with him or not, and marriage was a thing of love. I thought I was ready to see Frank’s reaction.

Boy was I wrong. Nothing, absolutely nothing, could have prepared me for the heartbreak that was evident on Frank’s face.

“I can't, Frank,” I said, my voice cracking in the slightest as I turned my head to look at him over my shoulder. “I don’t know if I’m ready. I know that it’s been ten months, but…but I’ve never been in a relationship before and this is my first one and I don’t know if I can do it! It’s not your fault, I promise, it’s me, not you. You’re amazing, Frank, and any girl would be lucky to have you—I mean, I’m lucky to have you, but you deserve someone who knows what she’s feeling, who fully has a grasp on relationships and love and who’s ready—”

“Hey, hey, hey,” Frank’s voice silenced my nervous rambling and his hands settled on shoulders as he spun me around. The heartbreak that had been there a moment ago was gone and replaced with a light smile. His silver necklace still hung around my neck. “To be honest, I kinda figured you’d say no. You’re kind of a hard shell to crack, AJ.” He took a deep breath. “One that I’m willing to wait for, if you’ll do the same for me. Can you at least do that? I mean, I know it’s selfish, but—”

“Yes,” I said, cutting him off. “I’ll wait for you. You know what they say.” Upon Frank’s confused look, I continued. “Absence makes the heart grow fonder. I’ll wait. And if you get back and I’m ready…we’ll go from there.”

A wide grin broke out across Frank’s face, but it was broken by a nurse yelling first call throughout the soldiers around us on the port. “I think that’s my cue,” he said.

I stood up on my tiptoes, kissing him softly. “Be careful, Frank.”

“I will,” he said.

“Promise?”

“Promise,” he affirmed, before pulling back and giving me a quick peck on the forehead. “I’ll see ya later, Adelyn Juliet.”

“Bye, Frank Thomas.”

I watched his back the entire way to the ocean liner, my fingers closed around the silver cross around my neck. He didn’t turn around once.


	6. five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [AJ FROST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35550753)   
>  [OC MASTERLIST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35551293)

 

 

* * *

 

 

**December 6, 1942 – Steve’s Apartment:**  
Steve’s POV

 

 

Steve was sitting at the dining room table, his sketch pencil lightly drifting across the old blank sheet of paper. Right now, the drawing before him was only a rough image Bucky’s dog, an old Labrador retriever named Thunder. The picture wasn’t exactly Steve’s best work, and he frowned, his pencil hovering above Thunder’s half-drawn ear. He left the pencil to fall onto the paper and sat back, the gears in his head grinding.

Bucky had taken off earlier that morning, saying he’d be back in an hour or so. It was going on dinner time now and Steve was getting worried. He knew Bucky could handle himself with no problem, but his best friend was all he really had right then. Steve didn’t necessarily mind being alone, but he certainly didn’t like it either, and he’d always prefer Bucky’s company.

With a sigh, Steve stood up and stretched his skinny arms over his head, hearing a few pops and joints shifting and cracking. He wandered into the living room, where some of Bucky’s things were still laid out from the night before. His suitcase was half open, bunched up clothes spilling over onto the stained carpet. The radio was still on, playing so softly that Steve hadn’t even heard the music in the dining room. Peeking out from under the dirty clothes in Bucky’s suitcase was a piece of paper, messily folded up.

Leaning down, Steve grasped the paper and unfolded it, gazing at the sketch of the army nurse that he had drawn for his best friend months ago. It’d be a year in a week or so. Steve could hardly believe that Buck still had the drawing. He was certain that Bucky had gotten over the dark haired spitfire from the Recruitment Center. Bucky hadn’t exactly been as brooding as he had been that first month or so after seeing her. In fact, the two of them had gone out on a bunch of double dates since then. One of them had been just last week.

Of course, it ended up like every double date Bucky set them up on. Steve ended up sitting at the bar in the Stork Club while Buck took turns dancing with both girls. By the end of the night, Steve had been so drunk that Bucky had to half-drag him home and stay the rest of the evening with him just in case. A small grin broke across Steve’s features as he thought back on the next morning fondly, waking up to his best friend at the stove, trying to imitate his chocolate chip pancakes. They hadn’t been as good as Steve’s, but they were sufficient, even though Steve threw them up after he was finished eating, a massive hangover settling in for the day.

With a set jaw, Steve marched back to the dining room table and plunked down in his seat. He picked up his sketch pencil and began drawing furiously on a fresh piece of paper. The pencil danced on the page like a puppet directed by Steve himself and after around thirty minutes or so, the image of Bucky formed on the paper, his expression of disbelief imprinted in graphite. Beside his best friend, Steve drew himself, laughing, barely containing his loud guffaws of amusement. With that drawing complete, Steve studied it, smiling a bit before setting it aside and tearing off a new piece of paper. This time, Steve drew the army nurse once more, but he drew her looking over her shoulder, a snarky expression on her feather light features, just the one she’d given Bucky when she had turned him down. With satisfaction as he finished the two drawings, he glanced over at the clock when he saw that almost two hours had passed since he’d sat down to draw the three of them at the Recruitment Center an entire year ago. The two newest drawings had no colors in them, just sketched in pencil, but Steve thought it was fitting to some degree on an artistic level. Something about there not being a happy ending yet, and colors went with happy endings.

Shaking his head on the intense thinking he was doing, Steve folded up the two new drawings inside of the older one and went back to the living room, returning the folded up images to where he’d found them. He had a feeling Bucky would be mildly amused when he found the new sketches and smiled to himself when he pictured Bucky’s eye roll upon seeing them.

He walked back to the kitchen and went to the fridge, where he pulled a fresh apple out of the fruit drawer. As he rinsed it off, he glanced up to the door where the handle jiggled, betraying someone trying to get into the house. The front door opened a moment later, Bucky entering, a look of frozen shock etched on his sharp features.

Steve took a hand towel and dried off the apple as he spoke, “Bucky? Buck, what’s wrong?”

His best friend said something inaudible as he closed the door to the apartment and began to shed off his winter coat.

“What? Buck, I can't hear you,” said Steve, taking a bite of the apple.

As Bucky said his next words, the apple bite that Steve swallowed turned to molten lead in his throat, his windpipe constricting considerably.

“I got drafted,” Bucky whispered and Steve’s heart dropped to his feet.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

**December 7, 1942 – US Recruiting and Induction Center, New York City, New York:  
AJ’s POV  
**

 

 

“One more,” said Lydia, coming into the changing room, where I was currently taking off my hat and shoving it in my locker.

“What?” I asked sharply, spinning around. “I thought we were done for the night.”

Lydia shrugged as she began to slip out of her uniform. “Two guys just came in. One’s here for ‘moral support’ he claims and the other got drafted yesterday. He needs his check-up. Doctor Paris said he was all yours.”

I groaned. “Couldn’t he have given him to Harriet or someone else?”

Lydia giggled a little bit. “You are Paris’s favorite. I guess it’s not all perks.”

“Guess not,” I grunted and pulled out my clipboard and pen. “But I’m not putting back on the hat.” Lydia smirked while she handed me the soldier’s form and I clipped it to the board without looking at the name. I was definitely not in the mood to deal with another cocksure soon-to-be soldier with a devil may care attitude, which had been what I was getting all day. I sent up a silent prayer in hopes that whoever I was seeing would have manners akin to Frank’s, if even only somewhat.

I stepped out of the dressing room and made my way down the hall into the waiting area for the soldiers. Keeping my eyes firmly on my clipboard, I traversed up to the name scribbled across the top and I swear my day got ten times worse. I swallowed and my eyes flickered in the waiting area where I saw them sitting, the skinny blond facing his companion. The tall, dark haired one looked nervous, his knee bouncing up and down at breakneck speed. They hadn’t seen me yet and I wasn’t particularly keen on them doing so.

The last time I’d talked to James Barnes, I’d had a headache for the rest of the night.

I sighed and stepped into the room. James’s head snapped up, his unbelievably blue eyes locking on mine and widening a bit in recognition. Steve’s gaze followed his friend’s a moment later and he smiled at me, lifting a hand in a slight wave.

“James Barnes,” I said, his name sliding off my tongue and leaving a slightly bitter taste in its wake. The lazy grin that haunted my nightmares danced across his mouth as he stood up and stretched, his white shirt riding up on his waistline. Clenching my jaw, I kept my gaze firmly planted on Steve and raised a hand in greeting. “Hey, Steve.”

James’s hands resided idly in his pockets as he moseyed on over to where I was standing. “Well, well, well, darlin’. Looks like your name is going to be my business after all.” His tone dripped with arrogance and sarcasm that made me want to smack that lopsided grin off of his extremely handsome face. He looked a tad different than when I’d seen him a year ago. His hair was shorter and there was no gel holding it back, so it flopped down on his forehead. A bit of stubble grew on his face and neck, like he hadn’t shaved in the past day or so. He was so frustratingly attractive that I had a sinking feeling this was going to be extremely difficult. I tried to think about Frank, but as attractive as Frank was, he was mildly average compared to James.

“Right this way, Mr. Barnes, if you’d please.” I turned on one heel and began walking back to my examination room before James could respond.

Behind us, I heard Steve yell, “I’ll be out here waiting! Go easy on him!”

I couldn’t help the small grin that spread across my lips and I was thankful that James was a few strides behind me so he couldn’t see it. I didn’t need to give him the satisfaction or the ammunition. The smile was instantly wiped off my face as James fell into step with me.

“I still never got that name, darlin’,” he said easily.

“First of all, don’t call me ‘darling’,” I said, my tone all business, not even the slightest bit of amusement creeping into it, which I was quite proud of. I had to admit, the guy was nothing if not persistent. Annoying, yes, but persistent. “And you can call me Nurse Frost.”

“Nurse Frost,” said James, drawing out every syllable carefully.

I stopped at my exam room and drew back the curtain for James, who stopped in the entrance and looked at me, his head tilted slightly and his expression reminding me of a puppy. “Does Nurse Frost have a first name?”

I raised an eyebrow and jerked my chin into the room to the exam table without a word. Raising his hands in defense, James ducked inside and had a seat, the paper crinkling as he sat down. I let the curtain fall as I answered, setting my clipboard aside and opening the cupboard above the sink to dig around for a thermometer. “I do have a first name,” I said.

“Well, are you gonna tell me it?”

I glanced over my shoulder at James’s overeager tone. His legs kicked like a little kid on a sugar rush as he looked at me. His lopsided grin seemed permanently etched into his features, at least to me. Seriously, smiling that much seemed downright uncomfortable.

“No, I’m not,” I replied with a smirk of my own at James’s whine. Finally, my fingers closed around a thermometer and I turned back to the cocky man, and raised an eyebrow. “Open your mouth.”

James obliged and waggled his eyebrows suggestively as he did so. I rolled my eyes so hard, I thought they’d fall out of my head as I stuck the thermometer under his tongue. The last time I’d rolled my eyes like that had been the first time I’d met Howard. The two men were remarkably similar, I noted, except Howard was more tolerable. James shut his mouth, still grinning through the object between his teeth.

“Can you not smile for like three seconds?” I demanded. James opened his mouth to respond and held up a hand. “Don’t answer that. Keep your trap shut so I can get an accurate reading.”

James did as I instructed. I waited around fifteen seconds or so before grasping the edge of the thermometer an pulling it out when the James opened his mouth.

“How am I lookin’, Frosty? Bet I have a fever ‘cause I’m just too hot,” he said, giving me an over exaggerated wink.

“Don’t call me ‘Frosty’,” I said sharply. “And actually, you’re at about ninety-six and a half.” I leaned over conspiratorially and whispered in his ear, “I hate to break it to you, Barnes, but that’s average.”

I pulled back quickly, not liking the close proximity between us. I retrieved the blood pressure arm cuff from the cupboard and turned around. James’s face was screwed up in a pout, his eyes narrowed at me, presumably from me calling him ‘average’.

“Okay, I’ll bite,” he said as he rolled up his sleeve for me. His right arm clenched under his movements as he spoke, the lithe, corded muscle mesmerizing me for a moment before I wrapped the cuff around it, cutting off my view.

“You don’t like me,” he mused idly. “Why?”

I mockingly gasped. “Whatever gave you that impression?” I drawled, a smirk threatening to break out across my face. I refused to let it. There was no way I was going to let James get to me.

“Well, I dunno. You have an attitude, for one. You don’t even give me the light of day. It’s kind of disheartening, really.”

“I’m sure if you left this building and went to the nearest dance hall you won’t have an issue finding a woman to pay you the attention you need. I’m sure that won’t be all that ‘disheartening’,” I said using air quotes.

“Yeah, but what’s the fun in that? You’re a challenge. I like challenges.”

“Well, this challenge,” I said as I pulled the arm cuff off his arm, jotting down his numbers, “doesn’t like you that way. Or at all, in fact. We’re both here on business, Mr. Barnes.”

Before James could respond, I looked back at the clipboard. “It seems you’ve had all of your vaccinations, which makes my job easier. You’re free to go, Mr. Barnes.”

I strode over to the curtain and held it open for James, who still hadn’t moved from his seat on the examination table. His legs were still kicking, but not as furiously as before. His head was tilted at an angle and his baby blues were roving over me, inspecting me thoroughly. The lopsided grin that usually covered his features was gone for the first time ever. He actually looked mildly serious, which was kind of odd.

“I like you,” he decided as he hopped off the table, his hands returning to his pockets as he sidled on up to me.

“Yes, we went over this,” I said, somewhat annoyed.

“No, no, not like that,” said James with a bit of a chuckle. “But just as a person. I like you. You have more of a personality than any woman I’ve ever met. It’s entrancing. You’re like a breath of fresh air compared to all the mindless dames that I come across in the Stork Club everyday with Steve. If I hadn’t started out treating you like every other girl I come across, and I wasn’t going off to basic in a few days, I have a feeling we could have become the best of friends.”

I felt my eyebrows raising in shock. I was used to the catcalls and compliments from men on my figure and looks, but that was a compliment in itself. As I recalled the only times I’d come across James, he’d never actually complimented me, only flirted. But the first real compliment he gave me was on my personality and not my looks.

Even Frank had complimented my looks first.

I opened and closed my mouth, trying to find a good response, but nothing came to find. “Thanks,” I finally said stupidly, feeling entirely inadequate compared to James’s assessment of me.

He smirked a bit. “You’re welcome, Nurse Frost. How about that name, now then, huh?”

I rolled my eyes as we started to walk down the hallway. “I’m afraid not, Mr. Barnes.”

James gave me an incredulous look. “After all that, I still don’t get your name?”

I merely shrugged. “You said it yourself, you’re going off to basic. Probably won’t see me again.”

James groaned, “Fine, but uh…” His hand shot out and wrapped around my forearm as I was about to step into the waiting area. My skin tingled at the contact and I raised an eyebrow at the fingers on my arm. He jerked his hand back. “Sorry,” he apologized. “It’s just…look.” James peeked his head out into the waiting room and pulled back quickly as he began speaking. “Both of Steve’s parents are gone and he really doesn’t have that many friends. I don’t want to leave him alone for four whole months. Here, may I?” He held his hand out.

I’m not sure why I did it, but I handed James the clipboard and the pen.

He scrawled something down in messy handwriting and handed it back to me. “That’s Steve’s address. The guy took a real shine to you when you turned me down that first time, didn’t quit talkin’ about it for a week’s time. Pay him a visit every now and then, will ya? For me?”

“For you?” I scoffed.

James rolled his eyes. “Fine, just as a personal favor, whatever. I worry about the little guy.”

I surveyed the address critically, my gaze flitting from the paper to James’s pleading blue eyes every few seconds. “Fine,” I finally gave in.

Relief flooded James’s expression. “Thank you so much, Nurse Frost. I owe you one.”

I waved him off. “It’s for a friend.”

James raised an eyebrow. “So we’re friends now?”

“Steve,” I clarified. “This is for Steve, not you.”

“Whatever floats your boat, darlin’. You’re doing me a hell of a favor here,” said James easily. His lazy grin had returned and I saw James in a new light.

The lazy grin was still annoying, but it had an endearing edge to it of a man who cared for his friend. My mind was still buzzing from the compliment he’d given me earlier and I realized that James was right.

Perhaps if he wasn’t going off to basic training, we could have been friends, given the opportunity.

Before I could think too much into it, I shook my head. “C’mon, then.”

James and I entered the waiting area and Steve shot up to greet us. “He’s in one piece,” said the little man with a sly grin. “I’m shocked.”

“Well, I didn’t want the United States Army to be down one healthy recruit. We need all the able-bodied men we can,” I said. Steve’s face fell a bit and I rested a hand on his shoulder. “And we need all the able-bodied men we can back here at home, too. Who’s gonna swoop in for all the girls out there in their time of need?” I added, wiggling my eyebrows.

Steve grinned and shook his head. “You’re sweet, Nurse…?” He dropped off, looking a tad embarrassed.

“Frost,” I said with a smile. “AJ Frost.”

I didn’t miss the quirk of his eyebrow or the genuine smile that lit up James’s face when I told Steve my name.

“Well, uh, AJ, you’re a real nice dame—er, woman. I mean, you’re a real nice woman.”

James rolled his eyes and clapped Steve on the shoulder as he slipped by to shrug on his winter coat.

“C’mon, Stevie. Let’s go get some pie or somethin’. A little last hurrah.”

Steve nodded, looking at James. “Yeah, sure, Buck.” Steve looked back at me and smiled a bit. “I’ll see you around then, AJ?” he said, a hint of a question in his voice.

“Yeah,” I said easily. “Stop by any time. Perhaps we could grab some lunch sometime? I could introduce you to my friends.”

Steve’s face lit up. “Yeah, that sounds great! I’ll stop by after Buck leaves for basic, then?”

“It’s a date,” I said with a wink and Steve flushed.

“Y-Yeah, it’s a date.”

“Ay, Steve!” said James, a bit louder than necessary. “Quit flirtin’ with my woman!”

“Your woman?” I inquired, hands on my hips.

Steve laughed and jogged over to where James was waiting by the door. James smiled at me, mouthing the words _Thank you_ as Steve was more focused on wrenching the door open.

I couldn’t help but smile back as those two little words melted my hard exterior.

“Bye, AJ!” called Steve, waving over his shoulder. James lifted his hand as well, his smile a tad more nervous than I was used to.

I waved to the two men and watched them as they entered the cold, December night. I sighed as I ran a hand through my dark curls, wondering just how in the world I’d agreed to keep an eye on a little blond man as a favor to James Barnes of all people.


	7. six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [AJ FROST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35550753)   
>  [OC MASTERLIST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35551293)

* * *

 

 

**January 3, 1943 – The Stork Club, Manhattan, New York**

 

 

 

“I appreciate you taking me here, AJ, I really do, but—”

“It’s not my scene either, Steve, trust me,” I grumbled. I rolled around the ice in my glass as I took the last swig of whiskey, wincing a bit as it burned down the back of my throat.

I looked over to my left to find Steve smirking at me, nursing his own bottle of expensive beer that I still wasn’t sure how to pay for. We were sitting in the Stork Club, a high end bar and dance hall in Manhattan. I wasn’t a fan of bars or alcohol in general, so I certainly wasn’t in my element. But, of course, Howard had insisted he take me along sometime, and that left me convincing Steve to come with me and keep my company. Coincidentally, I hadn’t seen Howard since Steve and I sat down, which had to at least have been an hour ago.

I’d spent a lot of time with Steve lately, not because of James’s request, but because I genuinely liked Steve. He’d met both Lydia and Jane and I was certain he had a thing for one of them, but he refused to tell me which one. We’d been out to lunches and dinners, went on nature walks in Central Park (when it wasn’t below thirty degrees), and had gone to a few movies here and there. If I was being totally honest, I felt like I’d known Steve a lifetime and could call him one of my best friends. He finally could get through a conversation with me without stuttering or calling me a, and I quote, “beautiful dame” and I called that progress.

So there we sat, surrounded by socialites, a couple of out-of-place New Yorkers in one of the most prestigious clubs in the inner city. The bartender, a cute redhead (err, mildly attractive young man), came by and I signaled for him to fill my glass back up. Think of Frank, I idly reminded myself as the bartender shot me a little grin and headed off to the other side of the bar.

I groaned and took a small sip of my whiskey, wrinkling my nose.

“I thought you hated alcohol,” said Steve. Humor was predominant in his tone and, sure enough, he was smirking at me when I glanced at him.

I rolled my eyes. “I do.”

“Then why are you drinking?”

“Because, Steve, I’m surrounded by many attractive, rich, fancy men, and I am spoken for. It’s kinda frustrating.”

Steve frowned. “Shouldn’t you…ya know, stay sober then?”

“I’m not gonna get drunk, Steve. Just…buzzed.”

Steve chuckled. “Whatever you say, Jay.” He took a drink of his beer and frowned a bit. “So why are we still here again?”

“Howard promised me he’d meet us,” I growled. “But Howard is also a lying, cheating dirtball, so I highly doubt he’ll be joining us. He probably got called away for work and forget to mention it.”

“Right,” Steve drawled. “Howard who?”

“Howard Stark.”

Steve didn’t respond and I looked over at my companion. The blond man had his beer bottle to his lips, his eyebrows raised. He swallowed his drink and set his bottle down, fixing me with an intense look. “Howard…Stark?”

I’d gotten used to spending so much time with Howard, I’d forgotten that he was somewhat of a legend to regular folk like me. Howard certainly didn’t act like the social group he was a part of. At least they all acted their age. The closest thing I could compare Howard to was a spoiled child.

“Uh, yeah. Howard Stark.”

“Ya know, you failed to mention we’d be meeting a millionaire here tonight.”

I frowned a bit and threw back the rest of my liquor. “I think he actually might be a billionaire by now…”

“Oh, right, my bad,” Steve scoffed. His expression was one of disbelief and he shook his head as he took another swig of beer. “How the hell do you know Howard Stark anyway?”

“We’re working together on the polio vaccine,” I said easily. The lie was in place now, there was no taking it back. At this point though, every person I told had some kind of connection to polio and I just knew it was going to come back and bite me in the butt at some point.

The bartender swept by, indicating to my glass and I shook my head, asking for a glass of water instead.

He took my glass and Steve’s empty now beer bottle and drifted away.

“Polio vaccine, huh? A close family friend of ours, their son died of polio.”

“Of course he did,” I grumbled lowly. See? Repercussions, I could feel them building.

“What was that?”

“Nothing!” I said airily, smiling over at Steve.

He knitted his eyebrows together, cocking his head slightly. He kind of reminded me of a puppy dog in that instant, but I decided not to comment on it. The guy didn’t need any more shots to his ego.

“So how did Howard Stark of all people get to working on a polio vaccine? Isn’t he an engineer?”

“Yeah, Stark’s just helping fund it. I’m actually working with another scientist. Nice older fella.”

“You’re enjoying work then?”

I shrugged, thanking the bartender as he swept by, dropping off a tall glass of water for me as he headed to the other patrons. “I mean, yeah. Between getting the men ready for duty and working on the vaccine, I’m pretty busy, but I don’t mind it.”

“You still seem to have time for me. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re sweet on me, Jay,” said Steve. He was grinning at me cheekily and I rolled my eyes.

I shoved the little man’s shoulder lightly and chuckled. “In your dreams, Rogers. Besides, even if I was, I’m pretty sure James wouldn’t be too thrilled with the idea.”

Steve looked a bit confused for a moment before realization came to his eyes. “Oh, you mean Buck? Why—if you don’t mind my asking—why don’t you call him ‘Bucky’? Everyone else does.”

I shrugged, running my finger along the side of the water glass, collecting condensation my thumb pad.

“I guess I just don’t know him well enough. I feel like I haven’t earned that right yet.”

“Do you really not like him? At all?”

I snorted at Steve’s confused look. “You sound surprised, Rogers,” I commented.

“I mean, yeah, I guess I am. Left and right, girls throw themselves at Bucky. I’m used to seeing it, being ignored. But with you…that didn’t happen. I mean, you aren’t throwing yourself at me, either—and I don’t expect you to,” he added hastily, “—but you didn’t even give him a second look. That’s never happened with an ordinary woman, and that isn’t an exaggeration.

“Let me let you in on a little secret, Steve,” I leaned over to the little blond’s ear, and I swear, I could feel the heat radiating from his cheeks. “I’m not an ordinary woman. And besides,” I said, waving a hand aside and leaning back, partially afraid that if I stayed in Steve’s personal space any longer that he’d spontaneously combust, “I have this thing called common sense. When I look at a guy, I want to find someone who isn’t afraid of commitment, someone who I could settle down with. I’m not looking for fun, and Bucky’s definitely just looking for fun. I just can't do that.” I took a drink of water and then winced as I set the glass down. “And Frank,” I added quickly. “I’m waiting for Frank.”

But Steve didn’t seem to hear my last statement, as his eyes had lit up. “You just called him ‘Bucky’.” He smirked in triumph.

“W-what? No I didn’t,” I said.

“Yes, yes you did!”

“Don’t you dare tell him! He is still James to me! It’s just because you’re saying it…it just came out.”

“Fine, I won’t. But you owe me.” There was a pause before Steve said, “I don’t mean to pry, but you don’t…I mean, you don’t find him the least bit attractive?”

I sighed. Damn Steve and those curious eyes. “I guess,” I began grudgingly, “I mean, I suppose…James is—He’s…I—Well…” I closed my mouth, stopping the horrible word vomit and wincing at Steve’s amused expression. I took a deep breath to gather my thoughts before opening my mouth to speak again. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think he was cute. Which he is. I mean, it’s not like I didn’t notice. But it’s his entire demeanor, his personality that turned me off. He’s cocksure, he’s arrogant, he’s too big for his pants. He needed to be knocked down a peg and I think I did just that.”

“That you did, AJ, that you did. You know, it’s probably against guy code or something, but between us, Buck didn’t stop talking about you for at least a week last year when you first turned him down,” said Steve with a small smirk.

I felt the tips of ears heat up and I swallowed, taking a drink of my ice water to hopefully extinguish the growing blush that was running up my neck. “Ohh-kay, that’s enough talk about me and James.”

“You’re blushing!” said Steve excitedly.

“I am a warm-blooded woman who was just told that a decidedly attractive man talked about her for a week after she turned him down! Don’t act so shocked, it doesn’t mean anything! It just means I’m not dead!” I snapped lowly.

My attitude did not knock Steve down, but he only grinned at me wider. “Whatever you say, Jay…” he singsonged.

“Whatever,” I grumbled. My blood settled in the silence as it grew between us and I glanced over at Steve, whose amused expression was gone. He was staring at the table at his folding hands, a little scowl on his lips. I reached out and touched Steve’s arm lightly and his eyes met mine reluctantly. “You miss him,” I stated bluntly. “You want him back.”

“No,” said Steve quickly. “No, I don’t want him back. I should be out there, with him at basic.” He frowned, his eyebrows scrunching together as he rubbed thumb across his bruised knuckles. He’d gotten in a fight earlier that day, on my account, no less.

We’d been walking back to the Recruitment Center, me and Steve, when a passing guy catcalled at me and made a few choice comments that weren’t very appropriate. It took all of three seconds for Steve to start an argument and for him to get punched in the ribs, but not without throwing a few swings himself. Luckily, a couple guys were coming out of the center and they pulled the offender off of Steve and sent him along. I’d wrapped Steve’s midsection and offered him a bandage for his knuckles as well but he didn’t take it.

Instead, there he sat, staring at his bruised fist, a look of disgust on his face. “Yeah, I write him letters, yeah, he responds, but it’s nothing like actually being there, Jay. I should be out there, learning how to fight. I want to help my country. I don’t like bullies, but hell, I’m five feet and four inches for Heaven’s sake! What can I do about it? Nothing! At least, that’s what I’m always told. I’m halfway to believing them, AJ.”

I squeezed Steve’s arm and flipped it over, threading my fingers through his. “Hey, Steve? Look at me, Rogers.”

Steve’s baby blues reluctantly met my eyes and I could see years of frustration built up in them. “Look, Steve, I know how you feel. I’m a female scientist! No one wants to see me succeed. And no one wants to see you succeed. You know why?”

“Why?” mumbled Steve.

“Because we have something that they don’t. And everyone out there, they’re all scared of it. We,” I said, poking Steve’s chest, “have heart. Steven Grant Rogers, you have the biggest heart I’ve ever seen on a person, and I’ll be damned if you don’t use it for something great. You’re gonna change the world someday, Steve Rogers. Even while everyone tells you can't and you won’t. You’ll change the world, I’ll bet my bottom dollar on it.”

Steve looked at our intertwined fingers and then met my eyes. “You really think so?”

“No,” I said adamantly. “I know so.”

Before I knew it, Steve’s bony arms were thrown haphazardly around my shoulders. I hugged the frail man tightly, as tight as I could without crushing him.

“You’re gonna change the world too, Adelyn Juliet Frost. It’s just a matter of time,” Steve whispered and I felt tears spring up in my eyes.

We both pulled away and I quickly wiped my eyes, not wanting to smudge my makeup, but not wanting to be out any longer either. “Looks like we’re a force to be reckoned with, huh?” I commented.

“Looks that way,” Steve agreed.

“So how about us two unstoppable forces go get some pie, huh? Something tells me Howard’s not showing tonight,” I said.

“Oh, really? What was your first clue?” joked Steve.

I rolled my eyes, telling the bartender to put our drinks on Howard’s tab. I looped my arm through Steve’s as we walked towards the exit of the club. “You’re lucky I like you, Rogers.”

“Yeah,” said Steve quietly. “Yeah, I am. Thanks, AJ. For everything.”

I smiled at Steve and we stopped in the doorway. Steve opened the door, signaling through. “After you, m’lady.”

I leaned in quickly and gave Steve a friendly peck on the cheek. “You’re welcome, Steve. It’s my genuine pleasure.” I looped my arm through his once more. “Now. Let’s go get some pie.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

**February 22, 1943 – AJ’s Apartment**

 

 

 

“You’re sure you have everything?”

“Yes, Steve, I’m sure.”

Both of us stood outside of my apartment, along with Lydia. My four suitcases, three overnight bags, and a couple of dresses on hangars were haphazardly thrown into my car, making the 1939 BMW a mess. The air was warm for late February and I was wearing a light cardigan over my dress to stay heated. There weren’t too many cars going in the streets to early in the morning, which was lucky. I wouldn’t hit traffic trying to get out of the inner city. The mood was a bit sullen and there were sad faces all around.

I had met with Colonel Chester Phillips and Howard just the other day. The serum was done. Or, close to being done. They wanted me to head out west to a little army camp in Wisconsin to look for candidates and make a few last touch-ups to the serum. I’d be with the soldiers for the last month of their basic training and hopefully have a complete serum and a candidate by the time it was over. I’d agreed, reluctantly, though. This meant leaving Steve, and I really didn’t want to leave Steve. Not only had I promised James that I would stay with him, but the little man had grown on me in ways that I had never imagined. He was easily my best friend.

Steve’s hands were shoved in his pockets and he was rocking back and forth on his heels. Lydia had already cried twice and was well on her way to doing so a third time. Jane was putting on a brave face, but I knew she’d probably be upset about it later in her and Lydia’s joint apartment, like she’d done when I left our old apartment for another couple years at Harvard.

“So, uh, this is goodbye, then,” said Steve awkwardly. He scratched the back of his head and looked down at his scuffed-up shoes. He hadn’t looked me in the eye once all morning.

“Not goodbye,” I said, pulling Steve into a hug. “I’ll be back in a month or so.” When I pulled away, I braced my hands on his shoulders. “That’s not too bad, right?”

Steve met my eyes finally, his expression sad. “I guess not.”

“And you have us, Stevie!” chirped Lydia through her tears. My blonde friend wrapped her arm around Steve’s shoulders and pulled him into her. Lydia met my eyes with her watery gaze. “We’re gonna miss you, AJ.”

“Guys, it’s not like she’s going overseas. She’s literally going to be in Podunk, Wisconsin for a few weeks, that’s all,” said Jane with a wave of her hand before frowning at Steve’s face, which was now tinged blue. “Lyd, I think you’re suffocating him.”

“Oh, sorry!” Lydia released Steve, who inhaled deeply.

“No biggie!” he rasped, even though his voice sounded a tad strained.

Meanwhile, I wrinkled my nose at Jane. “I’m pretty Podunk isn’t the name of the town. I’m not even sure I’m going to be near a town.”

“No?” Jane grinned at me cheekily, folding her arms. “I’m pretty sure that’s the name of every town in Wisconsin. Does anyone even live in Wisconsin?”

“Oh, come off it, Jane,” I said with a roll of my eyes.

“I’m a city girl, born and raised, and so are you, AJ. I don’t think you’re gonna have as much fun as you think.”

“Oh-ho, I never said I was gonna have fun. In fact, it’s probably going to be a nightmare,” I defended.

“Right, a nightmare,” drawled Steve. “An entire squad of muscular army recruits fawning over you, how horrific. I-I mean, from a woman’s point of view,” he added hastily.

I slapped Steve on the chest and made a face. “Might I remind you, Rogers, that I’m going to be the first female they’ve seen in the past two months. They aren’t exactly going to trip over their feet to take me out to a nice dinner. They’re going to be dogs, Steve, the whole lot of them. Testosterone fueled, lust driven, animalistic dogs.”

“Nice to know that’s how you think of us guys.”

“Oh, you know what I mean,” I growled while Steve laughed, pulling all three of my friends into a hug.

“I’m gonna miss you guys,” I whispered.

“We’re gonna miss you too, AJ,” said Steve.

We all pulled away after a few long moments, just enjoying each other’s embrace for the last time for four weeks. I opened the door to my car and looked at each of them one last time. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

“Promise?” asked Steve and Lydia, their voices coming out in sync.

I laughed at the all of them: Jane rolling her eyes in reaction to the tips of Steve’s ears turning a bright pink and Lydia’s blush. “Promise. How could I ever stay away from you guys?” I smoothed my dress down as I sat in the driver’s seat and Steve shut my door for me. “You need anything, just call,” he said.

“I’ll write, too,” I said. “To all of you.”

“Right, well. You best be on your way.” Steve slapped the roof of my car. “Be careful.”

“I will. Bye, Steve. Bye, guys,” I said, looking past the little blond man who had become my closest friend, surpassing my other two best friends.

“Bye, AJ,” said Jane. “See you soon.”

“Yeah,” I said softly. I started the engine of my car and pulled away from the curb, my free hand pulling out Frank’s silver cross and rubbing it anxiously. It was a habit I’d grown accustomed to, doing that when I was nervous. I thought about Frank for a second, hoping he was okay, but I didn’t want to dwell. If I dwelled, I’d end up worrying, and I didn’t want to worry. Frank would be fine. He said so. He’d be fine.

I honked the horn one last time as I drove away from my friends, checking the rearview mirror. Jane and Lydia were headed up the stairs back to my apartment, but Steve was still standing at the curb, hands in his pockets, looking after me as I drove away.

I watched Steve until I couldn’t see him anymore. He never once turned away.


	8. seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [AJ FROST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35550753)   
>  [OC MASTERLIST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35551293)

* * *

 

 

**February 23, 1943 – Camp McCoy, Wisconsin**

 

 

It was cold.

If one thing and only one thing could be said about Wisconsin in February, it’s that it was cold. The snow was pretty much gone at Camp McCoy, but it was still only pushing about forty degrees. Yet, around me, men walked around in nothing but their white T-shirts and slacks with their kelly green over shirts tied around their waists. I’d gotten my fair share of looks as I got out of my car, as well as a few catcalls. It was nothing if not annoying. The other annoying thing seemed to be that I couldn’t find where I was supposed to be going for the life of me.

All the buildings looked the same: big, plain, and towering. I couldn’t tell the barracks from the mess hall from the munitions stockpile. The frozen dirt crunched under my feet as I made my way into the hub of the camp. I kept my papers and lab work clutched tightly to my chest while men stood around me, staring. Whispers filled the air. I knew I was the first woman they’d seen in the past two months or so, but this was a bit ridiculous.

A jeep drove past me, a drill sergeant sitting in the back; barking orders. A unit of men jogged closely behind, panting like dogs. It was barely eight in the morning. There was no telling how long the men had been up and at it.

I was slightly irritated that neither Colonel Phillips nor Howard seemed to think it was a good idea to, I don’t know, at least give me a way to navigate the freaking camp, but there was no use dwelling on it.

The sooner I got to lab area waiting for me, the better. At least it would be heated. I hoped it would be heated.

“Hey there, dollface!”

My jaw clenched at the slang and I kept walking, head held high. This was not going to be my day. I could already feel it.

“‘Ey, don’t you know when someone’s talkin’ to ya that it’s polite to respond?”

“Ignore them, Jay, just keep walking,” I muttered halfheartedly to myself.

Clearly that wasn’t about to work out.

Two men flanked either side of me and one stood in front, slowing my purposeful stride to a halt. The boys to my sides were just that: boys, no more than nineteen or twenty. Twins, by the looks of it. Same messy brown hair, same mischievous dark eyes. One of them, the one to my right had a scar on his left eyebrow, off to the corner. The man in front of me was older, late twenties I’d say, with carefully crafted dirty blond hair and roving green eyes that made me decidedly uncomfortable. His well-defined features were handsome, but cruel at the same time at I didn’t like the way he was looking at me one bit. A cigarette dangled loosely from his lips, rings of smoke puffing towards me with every exhale.

“I was talkin’ to ya just now, darlin’,” he said, his southern drawl very well pronounced. “Didn’t your mama e’er teach ya some manners? It’s polite ta respond when someone is speakin’ to ya.”

“I’m sorry,” I managed, trying to sound as sweet as I could without laying it on too thick. Howard had told me that if I just played along they’d leave me alone. Looking at them now, in the eye, I wasn’t so sure. “It’s just I really have to get to the lab to meet with Drs. Smith and Bateman. Important research.”

“Research, eh? What the ‘ell you doin’ research on? The most effect dishwasher? Which bread is the best for sammichs? Because, uh, that’s what you should be researching, not nothin’ that has to do with the army. You need ta leave the fighting ta us men, sweetheart.”

I suppressed an eye roll, but one of my eyebrows rose without my permission. Beyond the three men surrounding me, other soldiers watched us with mild interest. Not one of them made a move to help me.

The man continued as he looked at his buddies. “And, uh…if you don’t wanna research that…I got somethin’ else you may wanna take a look ‘n see at,” he said with a waggle of his eyebrows. His left hand slapped his belt buckle and I swallowed roughly. His companions laughed. I did not. This was not going well. Not at all.

“Name’s Rogers. Geoffrey Rogers. An’ them two knuckleheads are Williamses.”

I could barely hold back my bitter laughter. The fact that this man shared a last name with Steve seemed like a cruel joke. “Right. Well, if you kind men will excuse me, then I must be on my way,” I said, trying to push past the sandy haired man.

His hand caught my forearm, sending me skidding to a halt and squeezing tighter than I would have imagined. He pulled me into his chest, cigarette smoke drifting across my face with each word, making my eyes water profusely. “Now, now, dollface, we was jus’ getting’ started.” He smiled at me, but it was a dangerous smile.

I gulped. I should have stayed in Brooklyn. Stayed in Brooklyn where it was safe with Steve and Lydia and Jane and my family. Stayed with Howard and the good Dr. Erskine. But no, I had to be the one to find a recruit for the project. I’d have to have a word with Colonel Phillips when I got the chance. Provided I’d have a chance.

“Hey! Leave her alone!”

Geoffrey’s grip on my arm loosened just a fraction as he looked to my rescuer. I couldn’t see whoever was coming to help me, but his voice was painfully familiar, but I couldn’t place it for the life of me.

“Oh yeah? An’ jus’ what’s gunna happen if I don’t?”

“This.” I heard footsteps and then a dark-haired figure came into view as his fist connected with the Geoffrey’s face. His grip on my arm fell slack as he tumbled to the gravel below. The twins on my sides instantly backed off, helping up Geoffrey. My attacker was cradling a bloody nose that was twisted at an awkward angle, obviously broken. The cigarette had tumbled out of his lips and was a few feet away, still smoking. Geoffrey Rogers said a few choice words before being hauled off by his companions.

I turned away from them as they walked off in the opposite direction. My heart was still racing and my forearm was throbbing where Geoffrey had a hold on me. I glanced at my arm. A handprint was wrapped around it, red and sore. I bruised quite easily and I was sure that was going to leave a nasty one.

I looked up to thank my savior, but his back was facing me. There was something familiar about his tall profile, but still, I couldn’t place it. He was wringing his right hand and kissing his knuckles. He’d punched the man hard enough to break his nose, of course he’d have to pay the price of a bruised hand for that.

“I just wanted to say thank you—” I started as the man turned around.

“It’s no big deal—” he had began, but we both stopped.

I found myself staring into those pale, icy blue eyes for a third time. His floppy brown hair was in desperate need of a trim, hanging down on his forehead and covering the tips of his ears. He was wearing the standard issue kelly green pants and white T-shirt, but instead of his shirt around his waist, he wore it, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Stubble had grown out on his defined jawline and his voice was a tad scratchier than I was used to, but before me stood none other than James Barnes.

His voice caught when he saw me and his head cocked slightly. “AJ?”

“James?” I managed, even though my throat had effectively closed. Oh, Steve was going to get a kick out of this.

“It’s-it’s Bucky,” he said. “Everyone calls me Bucky.”

“Well, I’m not everyone,” I said, regaining my composure. I stood up a bit straighter, my jaw set. I was not going to let the presence of James Barnes ruin my objective here.

“No, you certainly are not,” James murmured, his eyes traveling me over once. It had been creepy when Geoffrey had done it, but I felt my neck flush while James did. “You, uh, you look great,” he continued.

“And I’m not just saying that ‘cause you’re the first girl I’ve seen in a few months.” James stuck one of his hands casually in his pockets while he rubbed the back of his neck with the other. I pretended not to notice the way his white shirt rode up a bit on his waistline, exposing a fair bit of skin.

“T-Thanks,” I muttered, my voice hitching a tad as I struggled to keep my eyes glued to his.

 _Lord have mercy,_ I thought as I swallowed, my throat and mouth unusually dry, _Think about Frank. Frank, who asked you to wait for him. Frank, who Daddy gave you permission to marry. Sweet, kind hearted Frank Jackson._

But thinking about sweet, kind hearted Frank Jackson could only get me so far when a scruffy James Barnes stood before, possibly looking more attractive than the last two times I’d seen him combined.

_Snap out of it, Frost. Just because he saved you from the ass does not mean he’s your knight in shining armor. He’s cocksure. He’s arrogant. He’s a soldier. Get over yourself._

An awkward silence had fallen between us. The tension was so thick, I could have cut it with a knife.

Thankfully, James broke the silence. “How’s Steve?”

“Steve? Oh, Steve’s great. He can get through a conversation without stuttering or calling me a beautiful dame, so I’d say things are looking up.”

James laughed at that and shook his head. “Sure sounds like Steve. Say, didn’t I ask you to keep an eye on him? So what brings you all the way out here, Frosty?”

“First of all, don’t call me that. Second of all, don’t worry, I left Steve in good hands. Third of all, it’s a, uh, project I’m working on. With Colonel Chester Phillips.”

Bucky’s—James’s, I corrected myself—nose wrinkled up. “That old guy? The one who formed that new unit thinger? What was it called…the…something with science…”

“The Strategic Scientific Reserve,” I supplied. “The SSR.”

James snapped his fingers. “Yeah, that. You’re with them?”

“I’m more of a consultant for the time being, but yeah, you could say that.”

“So, then what the heck you doin’ out here in Podunk, Wisconsin?”

I couldn’t help but smile as I thought of Jane back home, reclining in her comfy chair in the comfort of her apartment in Brooklyn. She’d be scandalized if she’d seen me right then, with James Barnes of all people. I couldn’t resist. “‘Podunk?’” I asked playfully. “Let me guess: city boy, born and raised?”

James smirked and shrugged as he rocked back and forth on his heels, just like Steve did when he was nervous. “Yeah, something like that.”

I snickered a tad and shook my head. “Well, I’m here on SSR business. The good colonel and the rest of us with the reserve believe we have something that has the potential to change the tide of this war. I’m here to see that through.”

James whistled. “Well, that’s somethin’ then. Where ya headed?”

“The lab. I believe it’s also coupled with my bunk, but of course, I can’t tell the mess hall from…well, anything.”

“Lab’s on the far side of the camp,” said James, nodding his head the opposite direction in which I was heading. “Past the barracks and the medical tent. I could, uh, show you there, if ya like, seeing as you were headed in the complete wrong direction.” James gave me a sort of smirk coupled with an eyebrow raise.

I scowled, but it was more playful than anything, which I hated. I didn’t want to. No, I didn’t one bit. I didn’t like it, it was a terrible idea, but I was also terrible with directions. There was no way I’d make it to the lab without some assistance, and James certainly seemed like the only one around to give it to me. That was a pretense I absolutely despised. I was hopelessly lost without the help of James Barnes. The idea made want to hurl.

 _You’re being hard on him,_ said a small voice in the back of my head. _He’s just trying to help. Besides, he hasn’t really said anything remotely flirtatious yet._

I realized with a start that that incessant little voice in the back of my head was right. James somehow seemed…different than the past two times I’d seen him. It seemed like he’d sobered up in the arrogance department. Being surrounded by nothing but testosterone must’ve really been a shock to him. I was kinda surprised that he wasn’t throwing everything he had at me right then. On the other hand, after what had just transpired, he probably figured that’d scare me away. And it would have.

I smiled at James tentatively. “Yeah. Yeah, uh, that’d be great. Thank you, James.”

The hand rubbing his neck dropped and I could finally breathe again as his shirt covered his midriff. His trademark lopsided grin appeared on his face like magic, erasing all evidence of his previously nervous nature and his hands were lazily stuck into his pockets. He did a complete one-eighty. It was like he was that draftee in that recruitment center once more, cocksure and ready. But the act was off. It was different. He was different. “Great! Right this way, Frosty.”

“Quit callin’ me that!” I hissed again as we began walking, James a half step in front of me.

James looked over his shoulder at me and grinned. “I’ll stop callin’ you that as soon as you start callin’ me ‘Bucky’.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “That’s not fair.”

James laughed and shrugged. “I got drafted, Steve’s an eighty pound asthmatic, you’re stuck here with a bunch of testosterone fueled soldiers…life ain’t fair, AJ.”

“Fair point,” I muttered. “But I don’t have to like it.”

The rest of the walk to the lab was silent, though not particularly uncomfortable. I know I had a lot on my mind and James seemed to as well. After what felt like forever, James stopped and I skidded to a halt beside him at another plain looking building, just like the rest.

“Well, this is it,” said James as he began to rock on his heels again. His lopsided grin was still in place, but it was a little unsure too. “Thanks for letting me walk you. You’re a breath of fresh air compared to everyone else around here.” He wrinkled his nose. “And I mean that figuratively and literally. I mean seriously, some of these guys need to make their way to a shower, no matter how cold the water.”

I found myself laughing and James’s eyes seemed to light up as he grinned right along with me.

“Let me know how it goes, okay? Hopefully we’ll see each other ‘round, Frosty. I wasn’t kiddin’ when I said we’d make a good pair. Of friends, that is,” he added hastily.

“Yeah,” I found myself saying to my own surprise. “Yeah, I will. And I should be thanking you for walking me. I’d rather not risk my chances of running into another Geoffrey. Or getting lost.”

“Yeah, well. Geoff’s an ass, but he’s all talk. If he ever tries anything, or anyone does, ya just holler, okay? I’m only a call for help away. This ain’t gonna be no walk in the park for you. And uh…” A light smile, not a smirk like I was used to, but a genuine smile played on his lips. “You didn’t correct me on the ‘Frosty’ thing that time.”

I felt my ears heat up and I shook my head. “Whatever, James. But seriously, thank you.”

“Yeah,” said James nodding, suddenly solemn. “Yeah, sure. Well, uh, I better get goin’. See you around then?”

“Sure,” I said. “I’ll see you around.”

James smiled and I smiled back and turned to go when I heard, “Oh, and Frosty!” I didn’t turn around and heard a disgruntled sigh of annoyance. “Fine. AJ?”

I turned and smirked at him. “Yes, James?”

“Steve…you’re sure he’s alright? You mean, you really left him with some good people. At least someone’s lookin’ out for him, right?”

My smirk turned into a soft smile and I nodded. “Yeah. Don’t you worry about Steve. He’s just fine.”

Relief seemed to fill James and his posture sort of relaxed as a peaceful smile spread across his face.

“Thanks, AJ. You know, for keeping an eye on him.”

“It was my pleasure, James. He’s a nice guy and he’s lucky to have a friend like you.”

Curiosity filled James’s expression. “You mean that?”

“I do,” I said sincerely.

“And here I thought you hated me,” said James, his lazy grin returning. “Of course you don’t, how can anyone hate this face, am I right?”

I rolled my eyes and blew out a breath, fighting the amused smile threatening to break out on my face. “Oh, you’re something alright, James Barnes. Don’t push your luck.”

James laughed. “Right, right, I’m sorry. I do have to go though, so I’ll talk to ya later Frosty!”

“Bye, James,” I said, lifting my hand in a wave.

James turned and walked off, his hand raised in the air, returning the gesture. I leaned against the door to the lab, exhaling loudly. Yeah. This was going to be a longer month than I’d expected.


	9. eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [AJ FROST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35550753)   
>  [OC MASTERLIST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35551293)

* * *

 

 

  **February 23, 1943 – The Laboratory, Camp McCoy, Wisconsin**

 

 

After I’d finally collected my thoughts after my surprising talk with James, I turned and wrenched the door to the lab open, scurrying in quietly. Shutting the door behind me, I leaned against it a moment and took in the lab.

It was brightly lit, with an array of workbenches and tables spread across the open floor. Beakers and test tube racks littered the tabletops, along with a few Bunsen burners, an Erlenmeyer flask bubbling over, and a small, open flame, right on top of one of the wooden tables that was steadily burning a hole through the surface.

I was relieved to find that, yes, the interior was heated and it was significantly warmer inside. Shedding off my coat, I was about to yell to see if anyone was around when I heard muffled talking.

“A girl?”

“Well, uh, yessir, that’s what Dr. Erskine said—”

“And she’s the one that perfected the serum?”

“Um, yes, and—”

“Well, there must be some mistake, a woman couldn’t possibly have figured out something so complex. She’s probably not even qualified to be in this lab.

I raised an eyebrow and scowled. Of course one of them didn’t think I could do my job. I knew this wasn’t going to be easy.

“Uh, sir, I think you should know that—”

Two men came around the corner and I was able to match faces to voices instantly. One of the men was tall with blond hair that was graying around the edges only slightly. He had a goatee grown out and was incredibly attractive for someone his age, which I put around his mid forties. He was also the asshole who didn’t think I was qualified to be in said lab.

“When is she arriving?”

Both men stopped upon seeing me.

“…Today,” the other one said, swallowing roughly. He was thin and tall, with longish, curly dark hair and shifty eyes, and seemed to be maybe in his late twenties. He couldn’t seem to hold still. Whether he was brushing his hair to the side or fixing his glasses, his hands were always moving. He had a beard, like the one of an outdoorsman: scruffy and unkempt. His voice shook slightly and his accent was foreign. I would have said British at my best guess. Upon seeing me, and the open flame catching his eye a moment later, he let out a yelp and stripped off his lab coat and began beating the table with it.

“I see.” The blond man sized me up and sighed, seemingly defeated, all the while scowling at his partner.

“You must be Ms. Frost.”

“Doctor,” I instantly corrected, my voice icy. “Dr. Frost.”

“…Right. Well, I’m afraid to announce that Dr. Erskine made some…miscalculations. We don’t need you here, we’re doing right fine on our own, so if you could just head back to New York and—”

“I’m not going anywhere. I was sent here to a job and I’m going to do it,” I interrupted, glaring at the man. My gaze was unwavering and he seemed a bit unnerved by my insistence.

He cleared his throat. “And what, pray tell, what job is that?”

The lab had gotten suddenly quiet as the other man had put out the small fire. He was walking over to us, sliding on the jacket, which now had a large hole in it, surrounded by blackened threads. I swallowed and held out the files in my arms. “Profiles of soldiers. Twenty candidates hand-picked by Colonel Phillips who are at basic here at Camp McCoy. I’m to sort through them, see if any are worthy of Project Rebirth.”

“So why do you need access to my lab?”

“To make adjustments. And it’s not your lab, Doc,” I added as I started inside, twirling around to look at the interior a bit closer. “It’s the government’s.” And it’s a mess, I silently added to myself. When I wasn’t working, I had a feeling I’d be too busy cleaning up the place to worry about running into Bucky—James.

The other scientist—the European one—scurried over to me, away from the rude doctor, and started speaking so fast, I could barely keep up. “A couple soldiers came in last week and cleaned out one of the rooms where you’ll be staying. There’s a bed and dresser and trunk in there for all of your personal belongings, which were already delivered in from your car—”

I looked at him while he led me along to what presumably were my quarters. “My car?” I asked sharply.

“Yes, your car. A few of the privets brought all of your suitcases and handbags. That’s alright, I presume?” He looked nervous, like I was about to start yelling at him. His eyes flickered to me, then back to the door ahead that we’d stopped in front of, and then back at me. I dropped my eyes to his hands subtly while he looked away. His thumbs were twiddling anxiously.

“Are…Are you alright?” I asked cautiously.

He jumped a fraction at the sound of my voice and then nodded furiously. “Oh yes, very fine, I’m excellent, actually. Just, uh, just a bit jumpy. It’s medical.”

“Right,” I said, but I wasn’t quite convinced. “I don’t believe I caught your name?”

“Oh, yes, my name is Doctor Colin Smith. But, um, you can call me Sully. Everyone does. Except Dr. Bateman. It’s my middle name. Uh, Sullivan, not Sully. But you get it.” He stopped talking abruptly and stuck his hand out.

I smiled as I shook his hand. I liked the twitchy fellow, no matter how odd he might have been. “Doctor Adelyn Frost. But you can call me—”

“AJ,” Sully supplied. Then he blushed and blundered on when he said my raised eyebrow. “I-I mean, that’s what Dr. Erskine called you. That’s it, right?”

“That’s it,” I affirmed. “And the other one…?”

Sully’s jaw set as he looked back into the main lab area. The blond doctor was at one of the lab benches, leaning over a beaker, dumping the contents of a test tube inside. The instant the liquid collided with the other, the beaker began foaming and the blond doctor stumbling back as the substance spit out of the top. “That’s Doctor Erik Bateman. He’s the senior doctor here and treats the rest of us like complete idiots. He seems to think everyone who works here except for him is mentally impaired. The other two who work with us are just assistants, but they’re as smart as you or I. They just got the short end of the stick. Nathaniel Adams and Quentin Belfort. They’re at the mess hall getting breakfast. You’ll meet them soon enough.”

I nodded. “So you’re saying steer clear of Dr. Bateman?”

Sully nodded his affirmative. “For as long as you can.”

“Noted,” I said and gestured to the door. “So, this where I’m staying?”

“Erm, yeah, let me show you in.” Sully grasped the door handle and swung open the door. Inside was nicer than I expected. The floor was carpeted and my bed was off to the side. A trunk sat at the foot, open. My dresser was on the other side of the room and between was a desk with a mirror and a stool. In the middle of the room sat all of my suitcases and bags, ready to be unpacked. “I know it’s small, but—”

“It’s perfect,” I said with a smile, looking at Sully. If I didn’t know any better, Sully seemed to blush a bit.

“So, uh, I have work to do on Bateman’s orders, but if you need anything, I’ll be in the main lab area. Are you interviewing today?”

I shook my head. “No, I think I’ll get a feel for the place first. Find my way around, do some reading.”

Sully nodded along with me. “Seems like a good plan. It’s kind of a lot to take in at first, so it’ll be nice to get settled.”

“SMITH! Get out here!” Bateman’s voice echoed from the main lab.

Sully winced. “I better get going before Bateman has a heart attack. I’ll see you around then, AJ.”

“Yeah,” I said, smiling softly. “See you around.”

Sully tucked his hands in his lab coat and turned around, jogging off to the main lab. He nearly tripped not once, but twice, and for the sake of his ego, I pretended not to notice when he turned around to see if I’d seen.

I dropped off the files on my desktop and opened one of my suitcases, which was full of books. I had everything from Lewis Carroll to Jack London to Oscar Wilde packed inside, ready for a boring month of interviewing and being ogled by soldiers. I rifled around inside until I found what I was looking for. My old, battered copy of A Study in Scarlet, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. My dad had given it to be when I turned ten and it was the first time I became remotely interested in reading. The copy was worn down, pages yellowed and dog-eared, and the cover was falling apart, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I shut the door to my little studio and made my way towards the front door when a voice stopped me. “Frost!”

I tightened my jaw and turned around to face Dr. Bateman. Sully stood a few feet behind him, looking at me sadly. I’m sorry, he mouthed. I offered him a little shrug before looking at Bateman. “Yes, Doctor?”

He approached me slowly, his hands behind his back. “I want to make something clear to you, Frost. You do not touch my lab equipment without special permission. In fact, I don’t even want to see you anywhere near the lab benches. There is no reason you should be working here with us, nor should you be, period. Women aren’t qualified for science. It’s just the way things are. Erskine’s an optimistic guy. His hopes for this serum, and you for that matter, are way too high. One confused old man can't change the world, or the tide of the war, like he thinks he can, much less a woman. The only way we’re going to take out the Axis is with proven science work, like Smith and I do. Not the rubbish you and Erskine think you’re accomplishing. Do I make myself clear?”

I felt like I’d been sucker punched. Sure, I was used to verbal abuse when I came from my field of work, but it was never as outright as it had been right then. I felt tears pricking the corners of my eyes and I nodded furiously, turning away and rushing to the front door.

“I didn’t hear you!” snapped Bateman.

I turned around angrily, looking at the blond man, who had a large smirk on his face with one hand cupped around his ear.

“Crystal,” I hissed before turning back and leaving the lab, slamming the door with enough force to shake the entire structure.

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

**That Same Day…**

 

 

I lost track of time quickly.

After storming out of the lab with my book clutched tightly in one hand, I made a mad dash out of the main hub of the camp. I wasn’t really sure where I was headed, but it was far, far from Doctor Erik Bateman.

By the time I found where I wanted to be, hot tears were rushing down my cheeks. I collapsed under a tree, just past the barracks. I wiped my eyes quickly, drying the face, and cracked open Doyle’s first masterpiece, determined to read my troubles away.

And that’s how I lost track of time.

The day got warmer as the hours went on. I read each page slowly, not wanting to have to return to the lab to get another novel, even though some of them got wet due to my crying. Luckily, though, I didn’t have to go back. A figure settled in the grass next to me, but I didn’t look up from my book. I didn’t want to look up.

“You know,” said a familiar voice, “You’ve been sittin’ here for almost six hours.”

I looked up to find James sitting there, an amused grin on his face. He leaned back against the tree trunk, one knee pulled to his chest, his arm draped over top. The moment I locked eyes with him, the smile erased from his face and he looked concerned. “What’s wrong, Frosty? You look like you were cryin’.”

I wiped my eyes again, but it didn’t matter. They were dry, but probably red and puffy still. I sighed and tossed my book aside, leaning back against the tree with him. “Dr. Bateman’s an asshole,” I muttered.

James frowned and ran a hand through his messy hair, putting a few strands back into place (and displacing a few as well). “Bateman? The old blond guy?”

“Yeah,” I sniffled.

“Why? What’d he say to ya?”

“He said the work that I was doing with Dr. Erskine was pointless and stupid. That it wouldn’t change the tide of the war. It wouldn’t change anything.”

Bucky—James, dammit—tilted his head at me curiously. “That all he said?”

I sniffed and ground my teeth together. “He said I didn’t belong in a lab. That I wasn’t qualified to work with him.”

“Well that jackwagon doesn’t know what he’s talkin’ about then. You’re one of the smartest gals I ever met,” said James with a sharp nod.

I chuckled a bit and shook my head. “How do you know? You don’t know the first thing about me.”

“Well, I know you don’t like me, which means you’ve definitely got a bright head on your shoulders. And I know that Steve likes ya which means you’ve got real character. And I know that if you weren’t smart, you wouldn’t have been picked for this program, which means you’re real intelligent. Also I got a gut feeling, and usually my gut’s right.”

“That’s a lot of faith in a girl you barely know,” I managed through a watery smile.

“Yeah, well. Call it instinct, or whatever. I just know you’re brilliant and you can probably do anything you put that pretty little head of yours to.” James shrugged and grinned at me, his blue eyes brighter than I’d ever seen them.

I was pretty sure my heart stopped in that moment.

“Thank you,” I said softly. “You aren’t a bad guy, you know that? You just have questionable intentions, sometimes.”

James mockingly gasped. “AJ! Are you actually starting to…dare I say it…like me?”

I snorted and rolled my eyes. “Not on your life,” I said and stood up, grabbing my novel.

“Hey, hey, not like that,” grunted James as he struggled to catch up to me as I started walking away. “You know, as friends. I am capable of being friends with a girl, contrary to your belief.”

“Oh really?”

“Mhm,” James hummed.

“Great, dinner with me at six, then?” James looked at me sharply as I continued. “I don’t have any friends here yet, if that’s what we’re gonna be. I’d like to get to know you more, James.”

“Bucky,” he said automatically. “I’ll eat my dinner with you if you call me Bucky.” He grinned at me and wiggled his eyebrows. “Deal?”

I sighed. “Fine.”

“Fine…?”

“Fine, Bucky,” I stressed. The handsome soldier smiled winningly at me and I cursed female hormones. No man should be that attractive. Not one. If I ever met his parents—you know, for…whatever reason—I wasn’t sure if I would thank them or slap them.

“That’s better. See, wasn’t that hard, was it?” James—oh, I guess now he’s Bucky—stuck his hands loosely in his pockets and walked back towards the main camp grounds with me. “So…what are ya gonna do then for the next three hours or so?”

I shrugged. “Get a feel for the camp. Maybe go to the mess hall and meet the other lab assistants. I dunno. Don’t you have somewhere to be though, soldier?” I asked playfully.

Bucky groaned and avoided eye contact. “I mean, technically, yeah…”

I slapped his chest. “Go do you job then! I’m fine.”

He looked at me skeptically. “You sure? You was cryin’ earlier, and I’d never forgive myself if I left ya high and dry like that.”

“Seriously, I’m fine James—”

Bucky raised an eyebrow at me with a smirk.

“ _—Bucky,_ ” I corrected. Bucky grinned and I rolled my eyes.

“Alright, but if you need anything, I’ll be at the shooting range. Or, at least, that’s where I’m s’posed to be. No guarantees, though.”

“Shouldn’t you, ya know, actually listen to your superiors while you’re here?” I asked.

Bucky looked at me and winked, putting a finger to his lips. “Shhh.”

We stopped at a crossroads. The shooting range was the opposite direction of the way I was going, and Bucky grinned at me lightly. “This is where I leave ya. So, mess hall at six, then?”

“Mess hall at six,” I agreed.

“You mind if I bring a few men? Not the rude ones,” he said quickly. “Just two of my friends. I told ‘em about you. Said they wanna meet ya.”

I was a bit surprised. I wasn’t honestly sure if I wanted anyone else there. Bucky was so easy to talk to without anyone else around and I really didn’t want to share him, in a friendly way, that was. Obviously. But I also figured anyone Bucky was friends with couldn’t be that bad. After all, he was best friends with Steve Rogers back in Brooklyn, and I trusted Bucky’s judgment. “Uh, yeah, sure. We can eat back under that tree. I do like it there.”

Bucky’s smile got even wider as he took a few steps backward in the direction of the shooting range.

“Sounds good. So, I’ll see you in a few hours then?”

“Yeah, see you then,” I said with a smile of my own. I started walking off when I heard:

“AJ!”

I looked over my shoulder. Bucky had stopped. “You and Erskine…” he said, his facial features tightly screwed together like he was thinking. “You are gonna change the tide of this war. That Bateman fella’s just too damn stupid to see it. You can do anything you put your mind to, Jay. I believe that.”

I felt my cheeks flush and it felt like it had gotten at least ten degrees warmer outside. “Thanks, Bucky,” I said softly.

Bucky didn’t say anything, but he smiled and started walking backwards again before turning around completely, his hands stuck lazily in his pockets.

I wanted to look away, I really did, but my eyes stayed glued to his back until I couldn’t see him anymore, his words replaying themselves over and over again in my head. _You can do anything you put your mind to, Jay. I believe that._


	10. nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [AJ FROST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35550753)   
>  [OC MASTERLIST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35551293)

 

* * *

 

**February 23, 1943 – The Mess Hall, Camp McCoy, Wisconsin**

 

 

I found myself lazily walking around the camp. Part of me really wanted to go drop off my copy of A Study in Scarlet, but all of me wanted to avoid Dr. Erik Bateman for as long as I possibly could. His words still stung, but Bucky had effectively lifted my spirits in some type of way. It was strange, but I was glad that I had him there with me, no matter how arrogant or annoying he could be. A familiar face was nice to say the least.

In no time though, I found myself hopelessly lost, in a part of the camp that I hadn’t been to yet. I suppressed a groan of annoyance, wishing I’d asked Buck for directions to the mess hall to meet the two lab assistants. The worst part was that there weren’t even any soldiers in sight to ask, so it was surprisingly quiet, minus the exception of occasional gun fire from the shooting range.

With a sigh, I kept walking, figuring I’d eventually find a place I’d recognize, or at least someone to ask where the mess hall was. Unfortunately though, I figured the boys would be gone anyway by the time I found my way there. I didn’t even know who I was looking for. Well, I did, but I didn’t have faces to match the names to. This was going to be harder than I thought.

As I walked, my mind roamed and found its way to Frank Jackson. Frank Jackson, who was currently in Africa, fighting for his life and our freedom. Who had asked me to marry him and I’d turned him down. That hadn’t destroyed him though and he’d asked for me to wait for him. The man was in love with me, there was no doubt about it. I’d seen that same love struck expression on the faces of actors in films countless times. It was almost painful knowing that I didn’t fully feel the same way.

With a startling realization, I came to that decision just then. I didn’t love Frank. Okay, no, let me rephrase. I did love him, but I wasn’t in love with him. Not like he was with me. I loved him, I shared affection for him, but it wasn’t head-over-heels in love, the stuff of books or movies or romantic tales. I just didn’t reciprocate Frank’s undying love for me, and I hated myself for it.

What was wrong with me? A mannered, very handsome man literally was throwing himself at my feet, and I was turning him down. I had turned him down, and here I was, thinking on how I was going to tell him when he got back from war. He was going to get back from literal Hell on earth, and I was going to break up with him. The sheer thought made me sick to my stomach, and thinking about the hurt look on his face made it even worse. My mind drifted to Bucky and I realized that he didn’t even know that I was seeing anyone. And then I hated myself for even thinking about Bucky as I thought about Frank. Bucky had nothing to do with the way I felt about Frank Jackson.

 _But he doesn’t exactly help,_ said a small voice in the back of my head.

 _Shut up,_ I told it.

I groaned out loud and hadn’t even realized that I’d stopped walking, my fingers subconsciously wrapped around the chain of Frank’s silver cross. I winced and closed my eyes for a second, dropping the necklace, hating the concept of emotions with every fiber of my being. I hated the fact that I loved Frank but I wasn’t in love with him. I hated the little tug in my chest that gave way every time I saw Bucky, despite my attachment to Frank, which I was sure I was going to break.

“You okay there?”

I gave a little yelp and spun around, clutching my book to my chest. Behind me stood two men, dressed in regular slacks and suspenders, with button-up shirts. The first man’s shirt was white, the top two buttons undone, his black suspenders clinging to his frame, hands dug into his pockets. His black hair was slicked to the side, his pale blue eyes bright with amusement. He was a good few inches taller than the other and significantly more muscular. The other man’s suspenders were lopsided as one kept falling down his right shoulder. His shirt was black and unbuttoned and terribly untucked with a white undershirt underneath. His blond hair was mussed up and a few days stubble stuck to his chin. He was grinning lightly.

“Don’t you guys know not to sneak up on a girl in an army base full of men?” I demanded. “I have to be on guard enough with all these hoggish soldiers around…”

The dark haired one snorted. I realized with a start that they vaguely reminded me of Bucky and Steve.

“Hoggish soldiers? All men are hoggish, doll, including us.” He winked at me. I rolled my eyes.

“Hoggish? Speak for yourself, I am a perfect gentleman,” said the smaller man. He smiled at me. “Excuse him, he hasn’t seen a lady in weeks, much like me, but I know how to control myself.”

Okay. They really reminded me of Bucky and Steve.

The fair haired one stuck his hand out to me. “Quentin Belfort,” he said as I lightly grasped his hand. It was unnervingly soft. Using his other hand, he jerked a thumb at his companion. “That’s—”

“Nathaniel Adams,” the taller man interjected, extending a hand. I shook his as well, and it was rough and calloused, a sharp contrast compared to Quentin’s. “We’re the lab assistants here. You must be Dr. Frost?”

“AJ,” I supplied. “Sully told me about you two.”

“Ah, yes old Sullivan. If you’ve met him then you must’ve met Sharkbait too?”

I looked him sharply. “ ‘Sharkbait’?” I asked.

Nathaniel grinned at me. “That’s what all of us call Bateman. Not to his face, of course. It’s in the hopes that one day he’ll become what his name insinuates. Shark bait.”

“So he’s really that bad all the time?” I asked, dreading the answer. A knot had tied itself in my stomach at the mere thought of Bateman, with his cold blue eyes and degrading smirk. I had a feeling his goal was to make my stay at Camp McCoy complete Hell and so far he was succeeding.

“Yep, all the time,” confirmed Quentin. “He seems to think he’s God’s gift to scientists everywhere and the rest of us are incurably stupid. And yet yesterday, I watched him set his own lab coat on fire. It doesn’t help that he’s always drinking, either.”

I looked up at Quentin, my eyes widening slightly. “He drinks in the lab?”

“A lot,” confirmed Quentin. “An alcoholic for sure. Nate and I…we think…” Quentin cleared his throat, but still didn’t speak.

“We think he hits Sully,” finished Nate.

My expression went carefully blank and I felt my blood begin to boil. “Hit Sully? Like…hit hit him?”

Nate sighed. “Yeah.”

“I wish his lab coat would have caught him on fire. I would have paid to see that,” I grumbled lowly.

We’d started to walk together, though I wasn’t really sure where we were heading. The boys were wordlessly leading the way.

“Already have something against him?” Nathaniel asked.

“He said some things,” I replied cryptically, not really wanting to delve into the subject. Tears were already pricking my eyes just talking about Bateman. “And if you guys think he hits Sully, I wouldn’t be surprised.”

“I won’t ask,” Adams continued. “We all have Bateman stories we don’t want to share. He is quite awful. The first day I got here he told me I was an inerudite jock and that I had no place in the lab.”

“You do sports?” I asked.

Adams grinned at my wording. “I play baseball and dabble in basketball. Or, I used to, until I got drafted for lab work with Bateman. Don’t get me wrong, I love it. The concept of the serum, kicking some German and Japanese ass, and getting the USA the win…it would be a dream come true. I just wish Bateman wasn’t a part of it.”

“We all do, bud,” said Quentin with a sigh. He locked eyes with me and shrugged. “But we make do, I suppose. There’s not really a thing we can do about it, am I right?”

“You are,” I said.

We lapsed into silence for a moment until Quentin spoke again. “So where were you headed, AJ?”

“I’m…not sure,” I confessed. “I was just walking, really.”

“A little cold to be ‘just walking’, don’t ya think?” teased Nathaniel.

I realized with a start that he was right. It had gotten quite chilly. I’m not sure what I expected. It was winter in Wisconsin. My arms tightened a bit more around my torso and shiver ripped through my spine.

“I had been so wrapped up in my thoughts, I hadn’t realized,” I muttered.

“Well, a penny for your thoughts then, Ms. Frost?” suggested Nathaniel.

I glanced up at him. He wore a radiant grin that seemed to light up his entire face. His pale blue eyes danced with amusement and in that moment, he really did remind me of Bucky. He was handsome, but not nearly as so as James Buchanan Barnes. But of course, maybe I was a tad biased.

“Well, Mr. Adams, I barely know you,” I said, smirking at him with a raised eyebrow.

“I suppose that is true, but this is a wonderful way to get to know each other.”

“There are other ways to get to know each other that don’t include me divulging my innermost thoughts to you, Nathaniel.”

“Please, it’s Nate. And you’re right, there are. Have dinner with me? I-I mean, us.”

I gave him a pointed look.

“Okay, yeah, I just meant me.”

I rolled my eyes and couldn’t hold in my snort as I heard Quentin groan beside me. “I have plans tonight, thank you very much,” I said. Not, I have a boyfriend, or, I’m taken, but that I was busy. I swallowed my guilt and remorse.

“Busy?” Nate’s nose scrunched up quite adorably. “With what? You’re on an army base full of hoggish men, you said so yourself!”

“And you told me you’re one of those hoggish men.”

“I was kidding!”

“Right…” I said. Beside me, Quentin burst into laughter, unable to contain it through short coughs or clearing his throat.

“She’s telling you off, Nate, let it go,” he said when he finally stopped snickering.

“Yeah, yeah. You really have something going on then?”

I nodded. “Dinner with a friend,” I confirmed.

“On an army base? Here? You have friends?”

“Girls and guys can be friends, you know, contrary to popular belief.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” grunted Nate. “But you have around three hours or so…plans?”

“None,” I said.

“Hang out with us, then,” piped up Quentin. “I’ve been dealing with this jockstrap for the last month without anyone else to talk to. Other than Sully and Sharkbait, but Sully’s too scared of Sharkbait to leave and Sharkbait’s an asswipe.”

I must have not looked convinced because Quentin folded his hands and pushed out his lower lip. “Please?” he begged.

I rolled my eyes as a smile tugged at my lips. “Fine. But only because you said please.”

And that’s how I ended up spending almost three hours with Nathaniel Adams and Quentin Belfort. I discovered in that span of time that the boys were surprisingly down to earth. Both of them reminded me a lot of Steve and I was happy to see there were more guys like him out there.

Nathaniel had been raised by a single mother with two younger sisters, twins. He’d been the man of the house, essentially. I realized that he was one of the sweetest people I’d ever met. Both of them were great listeners while I told them about my first meeting with Sharkbait, and while Quentin just liked to listen, Nate liked to put in his two sense and when he spoke, he always seemed to say exactly what I needed to hear, whether it was putting down Sharkbait or telling me to not listen to his crap, in nicer words.

Quentin was quiet. I liked him, but he was just a quiet fella who definitely preferred listening to speaking or giving advice. While we spent the day together, Nate did most of the talking and sometimes Quentin piped in here and there, but it wasn’t often. But when he did, he was a funny guy who didn’t seem to realize it. When I laughed at something he said, he always got this surprised look on his face and smiled brightly.

I liked the two lab assistants quite a bit. It was calming to know that I had friends on the base and I wasn’t completely alone.

Eventually, we found ourselves back at the lab. It was fifteen minutes to six, when I was supposed to meet Bucky and his friends under the tree for dinner. Nate and Quentin looked at me uneasily.

“You have to put your book away sometime,” said Nate with a half smile.

He was right. I was still holding onto my copy of Doyle’s book in my hands and I really wanted a coat.

The sun was just starting to go down and it was getting colder. The only thing that was stopping me from entering the lab was the sinking feeling that Sharkbait was inside, presumably leaning over some lab bench and yelling orders at poor Sully who didn’t deserve to be treated like an undereducated moron.

“Can sometime be in the middle of the night when Sharkbait’s asleep?” I asked hopefully in a small voice.

“Sharkbait likes to work through the nights. I swear he’s nocturnal,” said Quentin dryly. “He’s loud about it, too.”

I groaned. “You two realize I have to sleep in there!”

Nate quirked an eyebrow. “In the lab?”

“Back room.”

“Oh. That’s why Sully said I couldn’t build my battle bot back there.”

“Your _what_?” I asked.

“Battle bot. Like a fighting robot. Not a big one, but like, the size of a really small dog.”

“That is the stupidest idea I’ve heard,” I said blankly.

Nate made a face at me. “It’ll catch on, you’ll see.”

I giggled. “In your dreams, Adams.”

I sobered up as I faced forward towards the door of the lab. Inside, I could hear voices, indistinct, but one sounded loud and angry and the other was much quieter and feeble. I heard a crash and exchanged panicked looks with Quentin and Nate.

Before any of us said anything, Nate pushed between us and entered the lab, Quentin and I hot on his heels. Sully was getting up from the ground, his nose dribbling blood. Sharkbait had diverted his attention to us, his blue eyes cold with hate. They became even colder, if possible, when they landed on me. He sneered at us. “Well, well, well, looks like the morons found Little Miss Scientist.” His voice was a bit slower and a tad slurred. Nate and Quentin hadn’t been lying, of course. As we got closer to him, I could smell the alcohol on his breath.

The lab was a mess. A clear liquid had spilled all over one of the benches, presumably the one Sharkbait and Sully were working at, and they were avoiding it like the plague. One of the beakers was bubbling over and paper towels were haphazardly thrown between the two substances in an effort to keep them from touching each other. A Bunsen burner was left unattended, still aflame.

Quentin came to a sudden halt and grabbed my arm, pulling me to a stop with him. I looked at him like he was crazy, but he shook his head and nodded at Nate. Nate was in control, then. I had a feeling this happened often.

Nate didn’t even look at Sharkbait. Sully's head jerked up to meet Nate’s eyes. His lab coat sleeve was pressed to his nose and he was wiping away blood as it poured from his nose, staining the white cloth a dark crimson. “Sully, are you alright?” He nodded anxiously. “What happened?”

“I’ll tell ya what happened…” said Sharkbait slowly, walking towards Quentin and I, a bit unsteady on his feet. “Sullivan here, the little bitch, almost burnt off my skin! Knocked over a bottle of opened sulfuric acid!”

“And who left it open, Bateman?” asked Quentin calmly, his voice not betraying the way I could feel his hand shaking as he pushed my behind him, away from the inebriated doctor.

“Are you trying to insinuate it was my fault, Belfort?” snarled Bateman.

Before Quentin could respond, Nate had grabbed Bateman’s shoulder and hauled him back away from us. Sharkbait shoved Nate away angrily. “Get your hands off of me!” Nate let Bateman push him away and looked at me. “Take Sully back to your room and check his nose. Quentin and I will take care of Bateman.”

I nodded, not wanting to leave the boys alone, but also knowing that I would only get in the way if I stayed to help any longer. I walked around the lab bench, as far from Bateman as I could, and gently took Sully’s arm as I reached him, leading him away from the mess.

“That’s right!” I heard Bateman spit behind me, but I didn’t turn around. “Get out of here! You don’t belong in here, girly! You’re nothing but a no-good, uneducated whore who wanted a ticket to be drooled over by soldiers and—” Bateman’s voice instantly cut off and I could only hear his angry, muffled grunts. I set my jaw and ground my teeth, holding back my tears and all the words that threatened to tumble out of my mouth. As I gently pushed Sully inside my quarters, I turned around to see what had shut Sharkbait up.

What I saw nearly sent me into crazed laughter. Nate had Bateman’s arms locked behind his back, holding him still. Quentin had taken off one of his shoes and socks. The sock was stuffed in Sharkbait’s mouth. Nate was grinning at me. “Go on and take care of Sully, we got this.”

“So I see,” I said with a small grin and entered my room.

Sully was sitting on my bed, his head tilted backward, slowing the blood flow. His eyes met mine as I entered the room. “ ’m sorry abou’ tat,” he managed to say. “I tripped an’ ‘ell. ‘it me ‘ose righ’ offa tha’ bench.”

“Oh, Sully, sweetie, you and I both know that’s absolute hogwash,” I mumbled as I rifled through one of my suitcases with my essentials, trying to find an old towel to stymie the bleeding. Once I found what I was looking for, I handed Sully the towel, who took it and pressed it to his nose. I helped him out of his bloodied lab coat and tossed it to the side. Sully had finally tilted his head back down and was looking at me. His eyes were red and his hair was slightly singed on the ends. “Colin,” I said carefully, using his first name as I sat down beside him, “what actually happened?”

“I tol’ ‘ou. I tripped,” he insisted. “I ca’ be clumsy.”

“Colin, I know you don’t know me and I don’t know you, really, but I don’t think that’s what happened,” I said, wringing my hands. “Nate and Quentin think…they think…” I struggled to find the correct words, to ask if Bateman was hurting him. I didn’t know him well enough for that! I felt like I was crossing a boundary, but if I didn’t, it would keep happening. I took a breath. “Does Bateman hit you?”

Sully’s eyes flashed and for a moment, I saw what he was truly feeling. The fear in his expression was real and it was there, pent up below the surface. It happened so fast, I questioned ever seeing it, because the next thing I knew, Colin was on his feet, looking at me like I was insane. “ ‘it me?!” he yelped. “You’re crazy! Yeah, ‘ou do barely kno’ me. ‘ou have no idea wha’ is goin’ on in this lab! ’ateman was righ’! ‘ou ‘ave no bus’ness in this lab or to make assumptions! Women ‘on’t belon’ in ta lab!” He opened his mouth to say something else, but shut it abruptly. Guilt spread across his features and he threw down the towel I’d given him, picked up his lab coat, pressing it back to his nose, and then left my room, slamming my door.

I looked down at my hands folded together and set my jaw. I suddenly wasn’t hungry and didn’t really have a desire to step foot out of my quarters again. The urge to curl up in a ball and sleep the rest of the day and night away was overwhelming, but I’d made a promise to Bucky.

When I thought about seeing him, I smiled a little bit. At least someone here thought I had a place in the lab. I pushed myself off of my bed and grabbed my coat, pulling it on. I took a deep breath. I was going to meet his friends and we were all going to have a nice dinner. There was the small thing of passing Bateman and Sully to get out of the lab, but I wasn’t really worried. Nate and Quentin would be there and that gave me some type of assurance. Then there was the matter of finding my way to the mess hall, but I was sure I’d figure it out.

A sudden knock on my door broke me out of my thoughts. “Come in!”

The door opened a fraction and Quentin poked his head inside. “Nate is handling Bateman and Sully and asked me to bring him some dinner. Want me to walk you to the mess hall?” he asked quietly.

I smiled at the little man, relief flooding through me. “Yeah. Yeah, Quentin, that would be really nice.”

He flushed a bit and nodded, opening my door wider. “Come on, then. It’s six now. Your friend is going to think you left him out to dry.”

“Can't have that, huh?” I asked with a small laugh.

“No,” Quentin responded lightly, grinning back. “No we can't.”


	11. ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [AJ FROST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35550753)   
>  [OC MASTERLIST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35551293)

* * *

 

 

**February 23, 1943 – The Tree, Camp McCoy, Wisconsin**

 

 

Quentin was a complete gentleman about the situation. We walked in a calm silence to the mess hall together where we picked up our food. Well, they called it food. I wasn’t really sure what it was. The menu said Sloppy Joes. I was pretty sure Sloppy Joes weren’t supposed to be that shade of brown.

As back-up, I grabbed an apple, thankful that my appetite wasn’t huge. With any luck, the apple would fill me up and I wouldn’t even have to touch the odd colored meat.

After we got our food, Quentin walked me over to the tree where I’d talked to Bucky earlier that day. I saw three men sitting underneath, but I couldn’t quite make out what they looked like, except for Bucky. It was easy to pick him out of the bunch. He had his back to the tree, one knee pulled to his chest, tossing something up and down in his hand. He must’ve seen me because he lifted his hand and signaled me over.

Quentin and I stopped once we’d gotten close enough that I could see their faces. “Are you good from here?” he asked me.

I glanced at him and then back at the tree. Bucky’s friends were smiling at me and I couldn’t help but feel welcome. I hoped they were as nice as Bucky, or even Nate and Quentin. “Yeah. Yeah, I think I have it from here, Quentin.” I smiled at him. “Thank you.”

Quentin smiled back. Not a shy smile, but a full smile, teeth and all. “You’re welcome, AJ. If you need anything…me and Nate are here. It’s tough starting out, with all the soldiers and Sharkbait. We understand.”

“That means a lot. I’ll see you around?”

“Yeah. See you around,” he said softly and turned to walk back to the lab. I could hear him whistling softly as he strolled, one hand in his pocket, the other holding his tray.

I looked back at the tree and made my way over, nodding to the guys as I went. Bucky immediately shifted to the right a little bit and patted the grass next to him. I could finally see he what he was tossing around. It was an apple, half eaten. “Have a seat, Frosty! Frosty, I’d like you to meet Anthony James and Russel Caldwell.” Bucky signaled to each man as he said their names.

Anthony James sat closest to Bucky. He was hunched over slightly with a half grin on his clean shaven face as he waved at me. His dark hair was wild and unruly and in poor need of a trim, and his dark eyes danced with amusement, like he was having the best time of his life. He looked young, younger than Bucky and I, even. Maybe just twenty years old.

Russell Caldwell was beside Anthony. His had his knees pulled up to his chest and balanced his elbows on them. He was a bit pale, his curly rust-colored hair and scruff was a stark contrast to his skin color. His eyes were the color of honey and they twinkled as the sun hit them. His teeth were bright as he smiled at me, and they probably should have come with warning labels.

“So this is the infamous AJ Frost, huh? Barnes hasn’t shut up about ya,” said Anthony.

Bucky shoved his shoulder lightly. “Can it, James. You didn’t shut up about the girl from the automat for three weeks when we first got here.”

“Neither of you ever shut up about girls,” drawled Russell while he twiddled a piece of grass between his thumb and forefinger.

I sat down, putting my back against the tree beside Bucky and picking up my apple, taking a small bite out of it. It was juicy and crisp, the best combination for a good apple. After I swallowed, I grinned at Russell. “What, no special girl back home for you?”

Russell raised an eyebrow and made a face. “Well…there was this one, now that ya mention it…”

Bucky groaned beside me. “Now look what ya did!” I glanced over at him and he was grinning at me, all excited like. He looked as if Christmas had come early.

“I’m just kiddin’,” said Russell. “No one special, no one I had my eye on. I hail from Arizona and there’s sorta a whole bunch of nothin’ out there. Our closest neighbors are about six miles down the road.”

I looked over Anthony. “What about you?”

“Chicago, born and raised. Moved to Detroit when I was fifteen. Not a good trade off,” he said. “And you, Frosty?”

“First of all, don’t call me that—”

“Yeah, it’s my thing!” interjected Bucky.

" _Neither_ of you call me that,” I said, shooting a halfhearted glare at Bucky, who just grinned cheekily back at me, “and I’m from Manhattan, but I have an apartment in Brooklyn.”

“A girl after my own heart,” mused Bucky as he tossed his partially eaten apple in the air once more, before catching it and taking a large bite out of it. “Brooklyn, born and raised.”

“That’s nice and all,” drawled Anthony with a mischievous grin, “but I was talkin’ about someone special.”

I felt my face heat up a tad and I realized the guys were all looking at me expectantly, especially Bucky, which made me a bit uncomfortable. I chanced a glance at him and his blue eyes were fixed on me like I was suspenseful motion picture and he was waiting to see what would happen next. Tearing my eyes away from him, I looked back at Anthony.

“Erm, yeah, there’s someone—”

“What?!” squawked Bucky.

I looked at him out of the corner of my eye. “I said, yes, there’s someone special,” I said a bit more firmly, Frank’s smiling face and crinkled eyes imprinted in my vision. “We had been seeing each other for a while before he got called overseas.” I left out the part about him asking me to marry him. I wasn’t sure why, but that felt like something personal and I didn’t feel like it needed to be shared.

“You never told me,” Bucky said quietly. “I’m happy for ya, Jay. He’s a lucky fella.” I looked at him full on this time. He didn’t look fazed at all from what I could see, his face all smiles, but his tone said something different. He didn’t sound as cheerful as he usually did, but I wasn’t going to look into it. There was no reason to analyze something that wouldn’t hold significance in the end. We’d probably never see each other again after this month, with the exception of when I saw Steve.

The four of us were quiet, and it was getting uncomfortable fast. Luckily, Anthony took it as his own social cue and broke the silence. Unluckily, he decided to ask all the wrong questions. “Well, Barnes is right about one thing. That’s one lucky gentleman. How’d ya meet him?”

“I did his exam for basic, and after he got back, he tracked me down. Out first date was in Brooklyn.” I paused. “It sounds a bit stalker-ish when I say it that way.”

Anthony laughed and Russell grinned at me. “Well, I’m sure he’s a great guy. I wish you two the best ‘a luck.”

I smiled at Russell’s kind wishes and decided I liked Bucky’s friends. They were sweet, and that was nice. All of the guys I’d met so far had been, except Geoffrey Rogers and Sharkbait. It was nice to be proved wrong. I’d assumed the worst.

“Ya know, I’ve never been to Brooklyn, or New York City, for that matter,” said Russell, scrunching his nose up and scratching his scruff. “I’ve heard my fair share of stories, though. Dames on every corner, high end dance halls and bars…sounds like my kinda town.”

“You’re missin’ out,” said Anthony. “Been there once when I was a kid. Central Park was my favorite place.”

“Steve and I go there—er, I guess we used to go there every Friday for a walk after a long day. It was a good way to wind down,” said Bucky idly, though I could tell he was still a bit bothered. I chalked it down as him missing his best friend. After all, from what I’d heard, the two had been practically inseparable, and now they hadn’t seen each other for well over two months.

“I miss it,” I said with a sad smile, and then took another bite of my apple.

“We’ll be back soon,” said Bucky. “A month or so left and we can go to all the dance halls your little heart desires before I get my orders.”

“And who says I’m gonna keep hanging out with you after basic?” I teased.

Bucky frowned at me. “Well, I mean, ya don’t have to. But I figure you and Steve are good pals now, and where Steve goes, I go. You’re stuck with me, darlin’.” The frown turned into his trademark grin and I suppressed an eye roll.

“You’re insufferable.”

“You love me.”

“False, I love Steve,” I corrected.

“Ya know, that hurts, Frosty. I might just die from a broken heart.”

“I’m sure you’ll pull through.”

“You didn’t correct me on calling you ‘Frosty’,” pointed out Bucky.

I sent him a withering glare. “I actually can’t stand you.”

“Oh-kay!” said a voice, and I had completely forgotten that Anthony and Russell had been sitting with Bucky and I. They were both staring at us with wide eyes and Russell was smirking like he knew something we didn’t. It was Anthony who had spoken and he was clearing his throat. “I have letters to write to the family, and this is the only time I really have to do it.” He started to stand up. “You comin’, Russ?”

Russell got up as well. “Yeah, I’ll tag along. I promised Ma I’d write her a thorough letter about my time here and all my exploits. I dunno what exploits she’s thinkin’ we do here…” he said, putting air quotes around ‘exploits’. “All I’ve done so far is not get enough sleep, eat nasty food, and work my tail off.” Russell frowned like he was thinking hard and then shook his head. “Anyway, you two good here?” he asked.

I opened my mouth to respond, but Bucky beat me to it. “Yeah, we’re fine.” He waved them away. “Go on, I’ll catch up with ya after dinner’s over.”

“Sure. It was nice meetin’ ya, AJ,” said Russ with a kind smile. “I hope I’ll see you around. You’re nice to talk to compared to all these other meatheads,” he joked.

“Who you callin’ a meathead, pork-for-brains?” snipped Anthony.

Russell snorted. “See what I mean?”

Anthony just grinned down at me. “I deal with this all day. I bunk right beside both of ‘em, so feel free to come visit me and save me from these idiots at any time.”

I laughed. “Noted.”

The two smiled and nodded to Bucky and I before walking off, already deep in their own conversation by the time they had their backs to us. “I like them,” I said, surprising myself.

“Yeah,” agreed Bucky while he watched after them. “They’re nice fellas. Probably the nicest I could’a got stuck with in this entire camp. They’re gonna be my squad mates when the time comes.”

I looked over at him curiously. “How do you know?”

Bucky smirked at me and took a finishing bite of his apple, swallowing it before he spoke. “I just do.”

“That’s oddly unsettling,” I commented with a raised eyebrow.

Bucky chuckled and threw the apple core off into the tall grass before fully relaxing against the tree. He didn’t say anything and the two of us sat there in silence. It was uncomfortable like it had been when Anthony asked me about Frank, but rather serene and complacent, with the exception of the random gunshots of the soldiers at the firing range.

I finished my apple, slowly, nothing really on my mind, and that rarely happened. Usually I was deep in thought if I wasn’t talking or if I wasn’t busy. I wasn’t used to being so relaxed and a strange sense of calm washed over me. Other than the shots, I could only hear the distant voice of a drill sergeant and Bucky’s soft breathing. I glanced beside me and couldn’t help but grin when I saw his eyes closed with his mouth slightly open. His chest rose and fell steadily and at some point while I was finishing my apple, he must’ve dozed off. I hadn’t noticed.

Tossing the apple core in the direction Bucky had thrown his, I bumped my shoulder lightly into his.

“Hey. Bucky, wake up.”

No response.

“Bucky? James?” I pushed his shoulder a bit roughly. “James!”

He jerked awake. “I didn’t do it!” he yelped and I snorted. He looked around and then fixed his eyes on me, pupils dilated so large that you could only see a small ring of his blue irises. He groaned. “Why’d ya have to wake me up?” he grumbled as he shut his eyes once more.

I bumped him again. “Because dinner is about over, and you have places to be, soldier.”

“I do not,” he muttered. “I have drills for the next three hours and those are the worst.” One of his eyes opened as he seemed to consider his options. “Ya wanna blow it off with me?”

I rolled my eyes and stood up, brushing off my skirt and grabbing my tray, throwing the questionable sandwich out in the grass. “As much as I’d love to spend another three hours with you, I have things to do, too, mister.”

Bucky knitted his eyebrows together and frowned while he lazily pushed himself off of the ground. “Like what?”

“Like my initial reports for the candidates?” I said with a grin at Bucky’s confused look. “For the project I’m working on? With the lab? You know, ‘change the tide of the war’?” I quoted.

“Right, you’re smart ‘n’ all that,” he mumbled, stretching his arms high above his head and scrubbing a hand down his face.

“Yeah, and if I wasn’t ‘smart ‘n’ all that’, I wouldn’t be here,” I joked.

Before either of us could say anything else, a whistle sounded and Bucky made an annoyed sound that I couldn’t decipher.

“That’s my cue.” He scowled in the direction the noise came from scratched his neck. “So, I gotta run…can’t exactly escort you back to the lab without getting chewed out by my sarge…you gonna be alright?”

I rolled my eyes and grinned. “Go,” I said. “Don’t get in trouble on my account. Quentin is a pretty good tour guide.”

Bucky scrunched up his nose, a pout firmly on his face. “But I’m supposed to be your tour guide.”

“You’re a soldier who needs to get to his drills. Right now,” I insisted. “You can give me a tour tomorrow, if either of us find time.”

“Find time? Sweetheart, I’ll make time,” Bucky said as he stuck his hands in his pockets and his lazy grin replaced his pout.

“Bucky…” I warned.

“Right, right, sorry, AJ,” he said, putting a sarcastic emphasis on my name. “You’re really touchy about the name thing,” he noted.

“You literally made me start to call you ‘Bucky’,” I reminded him.

He paused and shrugged. “That’s a fair point.”

The whistle blew again.

“…Dammit,” Bucky muttered, looking in the direction of the noise. He looked at me apologetically, “I really gotta—”

“Go, I know,” I finished for him, pushing his shoulder. “I’ll be fine.”

“And if you’re not—”

“Scream, I know!” I finished again with an incredulous grin. “Now go!”

“Alright,” Bucky said, backing away from me as he walked, but he didn’t turn around.

“Alright,” I said.

“Okay, I’m going,” he said a bit louder, so I could hear him. There was distance between us now, and yet he refused to turn his back on me. He was seriously too much for me to handle.

“James, go!” I said, but I couldn’t hold back my laugh.

Bucky’s face lit up like a Christmas tree when I laughed. “I’m goin’!” He waved as he turned around. “See ya later, Frosty!”

I watched his retreating figure as I leaned against the tree we’d be sitting under, not bothering to correct him on him calling me ‘Frosty’. I hated the nickname, I really did, but there was something about it that didn’t bother me as much when Bucky said it. Usually it was used to make fun of me of sorts, but it didn’t feel like that with James. To be honest, I wasn’t sure about much at all when it came to James.

He looked like he’d be an open book when I’d first met him, easy to read, easy to measure his intentions, but so far, he was nothing but a giant puzzle, challenging me to try and solve it. I didn’t like it, but I loved it at the same time.

Shaking my head, I pushed myself off the tree and began my walk back to the mess hall to drop off my tray, and then back to the lab, bracing myself to deal with Sharkbait. Of course, the moment Bucky was gone, my brain reverted back into full time think mode, and I couldn’t help but wonder why the only time I was really relaxed was around James Buchanan Barnes.

It was probably nothing, of course. Like I’d thought earlier, there was no reason to read into something that wouldn’t matter in the end.

At least, that’s what I’d started to tell myself.


	12. eleven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [AJ FROST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35550753)   
>  [OC MASTERLIST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35551293)

* * *

 

 

 

 

Days at the camp flew by. They didn’t necessarily go fast or slow, but time just seemed to add up more and more, and before I knew it, twelve days had gone by. I’d written and sent five letters at the end of the first week. One for Steve, one for Lydia, one for Jane, one for Howard, and one for Sam, who would show it to the rest of the family when he got the chance. I missed my friends and family a lot, including Howard Stark, which I never thought that I’d say.

I interviewed the soldiers one by one, assessing them as I’d seen fit. So far, though, not one was perfect for Project Rebirth. Sure, a few of them were decent candidates, but none of them had shown any true potential yet.

I hadn’t seen Bucky since dinner under the tree. I saw Russel often, but they were usually busy. They’d stop to say hi, but it was never for too long. They were hardworking soldiers, and I wasn’t surprised to see both of them on my candidate list for one of my future interviews. When I asked either of them about Bucky, they usually just shrugged and admitted to rarely seeing him as well, which kind of calmed my nerves. I had started to assume that he was avoiding me. Anthony had just smirked when I suggested that and assured me that that wasn’t the case.

The only part of my day that tended to drag were the soldier interviews. They were long and boring with fifty in-depth questions. It was my job to assess their responses and score them, as well as include any side notes on every single question. It got tiring, honestly. A girl can only score so many standardized tests before going insane. It didn’t help that Sharkbait was constantly watching me, making sure I didn’t screw anything up. It was ridiculous, but I felt as if he almost had eyes everywhere. When he wasn’t around, I was almost positive that Sully was reporting to him on me.

Ever since the incident with the bloody nose, Sully avoided me. He was perfectly fine around Quentin and Nate, but anytime I tried to say a word, or even looked at him, he preoccupied himself. His typical response was ‘I’m busy’ or ‘Don’t you have work to do’? I’d pulled Nate aside to talk to him about it, and he’d frowned grimly.

“That only makes matters worse,” he’d said. “That means we’re probably right. And in situations like these, I hate being right.”

Yeah. I hated being right too.

But all in all, Nate and Quentin never failed to brighten my day, but even so, it was Nate more than Quentin. Quentin could be shy at times, so it could be hard to start a conversation and get him to open up. It seemed that way for everyone, even Nate. So naturally, most of my free time was spent with Nate, and Quentin tended to do all the busy work to avoid Bateman’s wrath. We took walks and when we ate meals together, Quentin usually joined us. Nate accompanied me in the lab so I’d never be caught alone with Sharkbait. More often than not, Bateman spent all his time in the lab. It made it nearly impossible to test the serum and make sure everything was in order. I was thankful Nate was willing to spend so much time with me attached to his hip.

On the other hand, there hadn’t been another incident with Sully since the initial one. He hadn’t laid a hand on anyone, so far. Of course, part of me knew it couldn’t last. Bateman wasn’t going to be on his best behavior for long. Or, his non-violent behavior. And, of course, I was right.

And in situations like these, I hated being right.

 

 

* * *

 

**March 5, 1943 – The Lab, Camp McCoy, Wisconsin**

 

 

The letter was a surprise. It was delivered to my door just after lunch. Nate and I had walked the campus for the umpteenth time, talking in circles and just all around enjoying each other’s company. He was an easy guy to get along with. I felt like I could just be myself and be relaxed. With Frank, I was always trying to look happy. To play the role of a happy girlfriend. If I didn’t look happy, people would wonder, and when people wonder, bad things would happen. At least, that’s how I saw it. And with Bucky, I just felt…I felt so exposed. Like if I talked too much, I’d give away the secrets of my inner soul. I knew that was stupid, but with his piercing blue eyes, it seemed like James could see right through me.

With Nate, it was easy. He knew where we stood, and that we were going to be friends, and he was perfectly fine with that, after I’d initially turned him down. He was laidback and could practically read my mind. We often talked about nothing and everything at the same, jumping subjects like frogs on a lily pad. Sometimes we talked about Frank, sometimes I teased him about how he and Lydia would be absolutely fantastic together. Sometimes we could go from one of those topics to discussing the discovery of plutonium and somehow not miss a beat. I learned so much about him, like the fact that he and Quentin had originally gone to medical school before being drafted and planned on signing on to be field doctors as soon as their work at McCoy was done, and when he had a question about me, I’d answer it. It never got to be too personal with Nate. I could talk with him about anything. Even though we’d only really known each other for a week, I felt like I’d known him for years.

So, right. The letter. Nate and I were relaxing in my room with the door cracked, discussing the perfect wedding. I wasn’t sure how we’d arrived to such a girly and mainstream topic, but Nathaniel certainly was involved in the conversation, which was as hilarious as it sounded.

“Tiger lilies?” I deadpanned, my face as straight as I could keep it.

Nate looked at me like I’d sprouted a third eye. “Yes, tiger lilies! What’s so hard to understand about that?!” I couldn’t help it. I cracked up laughed, and Nate’s eyes rounded, looking incredulous. “What?!” he demanded.

“They’re…Nate, they’re orange. They won’t match with anything!”

Nate blew out a breath and rolled his eyes. “Well, then…then they can be at the reception! They’re going to be somewhere at my wedding, mark my words, Adelyn Juliet!”

I rolled my eyes and grinned fondly at the dark-haired man reclining in the chair opposite of my bed. He was scowling at me good-naturedly, but I could see the spark of amusement in his bright blue eyes.

“So are you telling me you’ve planned out your ideal wedding, Nathaniel Theodore?”

Nate scoffed. “No. Just…a lot of it.”

“Ya know,” I drawled, kicking my legs on the side of my bed with a droll smile, “girls do that too. And when the time comes…your fiancée with most likely kick your butt if you mess up her dream wedding.”

“Guys can have dreams, too!” Nate protested.

“Normal guys don’t plan their ideal wedding!”

“I’m not a normal guy!”

I laughed. “No you are not, Nathaniel Adams. No you are not.”

“I bet Quentin has his flowers picked out,” Nate muttered. He was quiet for a moment before he spoke again. “I just…ya know, not even Quentin knows I have this kind of stuff planned out.” Nate adjusted himself, bracing his elbows on his knees and locking his fingers together. “I mean, you’re right. Planning a wedding, showing feelings…I don’t get to do that with a lot of my male friends. You’d think Quentin would be different, but he just wants to be accepted, so he acts like one of the guys. So…I mean, what I’m trying to say is, it’s a relief to have you here, AJ. I’m glad I can talk to you.”

I smiled softly at Nate, my chest swelling with warmth. “Thanks, Nate,” I said. “I’m glad I have you too.” There was a small stretch of silence between us before I asked, “So you want to get settled down then?”

Nate nodded eagerly. “After this war blows ever, I’m going to put my dreams into action.” He held his hands out, making a small little picture frame. “I can see it now. A cute little house just outside of Pittsburgh, with a big yard and basketball hoop. Two or three kiddos. And a dog. A husky.” A dreamy look had spread across Nate’s face and I could see that he was far, far away from Wisconsin.

“Pittsburgh?” I asked quietly.

“Where I’m from,” he clarified, his eyes refocusing on me. “Well, the inner city, anyway. My dad, me, and my little sister. Mom left us after there were some…issues with her third pregnancy. She had a miscarriage. She and the baby…they didn’t make it.”

“I’d say I’m sorry, but are the words really going to have any impact?” I asked.

“Not really,” Nate admitted. “But I’m so used to hearing it and seeing the pitied looks. I’m just glad you’re a different kind of person, Adelyn Juliet.”

“Well, it takes one to know one Nathaniel Theodore,” I replied with a small smile.

“Yeah,” he said smiling back. “I suppose it does. Ya know, when my mom was still alive, my dad was so happy. And finding out she was supposed to have another child…I’ve never seen his eyes light up like that. He hasn’t been himself since…and…I mean, they were epitome of this perfect marriage. Well, not perfect,” he added, “but damn close. They had their ups and downs, but that’s what made them love each other more. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve wanted that. That kind of happiness. I’ve always wanted to show my dad so maybe he can be okay again. And I guess that’s why I’ve planned so much of this out. I want it to be as perfect as perfect can get. He was always so excited about grandkids…I hope I can give him some and maybe, just maybe, he’ll see that things aren’t so bad and that Mom’s in a better place.” Nate took a breath and flushed, his cheeks bright red in the dim light of my quarters. “But I’m just a hopeless romantic.”

I shook my head, and my cheeks were starting to hurt from smiling so hard. “Nate, that’s one of the most thoughtful and adorable things I’ve ever heard. You’re going to make an amazing husband to a very lucky girl.”

Nate’s face lit up. “You think so?”

“I _know_ so,” I responded slyly.

Just then, there was a knock at my door, pushing it open a tad. “Special delivery?”

I recognized the voice instantly. It was Quentin. “Come on in!” I called.

The door pushed open and Quentin smiled timidly at Nate and I. In his fist, he was clutching what looked like an envelope. He leaned against the doorframe, his other hand in his pocket. “I figured you two would be in here. What was all the talk about?”

Before I could say anything, Nate pointed a finger at Quentin. “Q, at your wedding, do you have a specific type of flower you want? Given it any thought? At all?”

Quentin looked a bit stunned initially, confusion written across his face. Then, the confusion melted into a goofy grin. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” He stuck his tongue out, and I recognized this moment as one of the rare times Quentin felt truly comfortable in a social situation. He wasn’t often, and it was almost an honor to know that he felt easy around me.

He held out his hand to me, the hand with the envelope. “Special delivery for one Adelyn Frost.”

“Me?” I asked.

Quentin raised an eyebrow. “Unless you want me to give your love note to Romeo over there,” he deadpanned.

“Love note?!” I squeaked.

Quentin just grinned. “Addressed from the frontlines.”

I was stunned for only a moment. “…Frank?”

“I’d assume so.”

Relief came crashing through me as I took the envelope and pulled it back quickly, not realizing my hand had been quivering. I hadn’t realized the amount of worry that had been eating at me as each day passed, not knowing how he was. It felt like an elephant that had been standing on my chest just stepped off. I was hoping neither Nate nor Quentin would see my shaking hand, but I think they both did because they exchanged a look and Nate stood up.

“Well, I think I’ll go ahead and let you read that. I have some lab work to do, anyhow. You going to be okay, AJ?” asked Nate.

I looked up. His baby blues were scanning over me critically, looking for any signs of distress. I felt like I was under a microscope, which was rare, because he didn’t analyze me often. I shook my head. “I’m fine. Thank you, guys. Both of you. For just being here this past week or so.”

Nate didn’t look entirely convinced, but he nodded all the same. “Of course, AJ. You know where to find us.”

Nate left and Quentin began to leave, but paused in the door way. He turned around and smiled at me with a wistful grin. “Orchids,” he said.

I looked up from the envelop that my eyes had been glued to, not quite sure I’d heard him correctly.

“What?”

“Orchids,” he repeated. “The flowers I want at my wedding. Don’t tell Nate.”

A giant smile bloomed across my face. “I won’t,” I said.

Quentin grinned widely back and left, shutting the door, leaving me along with my thoughts and my letter from Frank Jackson.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

I know it’s silly, but I must’ve sat on my bed for five minutes, in the dim light, just staring at the outside of the envelope. It was from Frank alright, I recognized his sharp, but messy scrawl. It was just addressed to ‘AJ Frost’ with the location of my apartment. I had Lydia house-sitting, so she must have forwarded it to the camp.

I wasn’t sure why I was hesitating so much. I felt like I should have been ecstatic to receive a letter from Frank and to know that he was okay. And I was happy that he was still out there, fighting, but somehow that just made the situation worse. Knowing that he wasn’t safe. Knowing there was always a chance. Knowing he might not make it back. It was troublesome at most. Not even mentioning my revelation that I wasn’t in love with him. I still wasn’t sure what to do about that and that made the entire situation a particular sort of uncomfortable.

 _Quit psyching yourself out,_ I reprimanded. _Just open it._

Setting the letter down, I made my way over to my desk where I kept a letter opener in one of the drawers. I grabbed it and sat back down on my bed where I slid the blade across the paper, the letter tearing open with a satisfying sound. I pulled the letter out and unfolded it, not looking at it yet. It took a bit of mental preparation before I drew my eyes back to the paper and began to read the words, my fingers finding the silver cross on the chain around my neck.

 

 

**_February 18, 1943_ **

_Adelyn,_

_Finally, a bit of free time to write. It’s crazy out here, darling. We haven’t done much except defend against Axis offensives, but we’ve lost some good men. Right now we’ve been on patrol in Tunisia. I haven’t seen much combat…but it’s scary, Adelyn. I got shot, but don’t worry! I know you, and you’ll worry. I’m fine. In and out, just a flesh wound. I’ll probably be healed by the time you get this._

_I hope you’re doing okay. I don’t wanna say I’m worried about you, but well, I’m worried. I have no doubt you’re keeping yourself busy. Tell the family I say hello._

_I’m counting down the days until I’m home. Sorry, I can’t give you more of a report, I didn’t have much time to write this. My CO is yelling right now, in fact._

_I love you, Adelyn. And I’ll see you soon._

_Frank_

 

 

It was pretty much everything I’d expected. An update on his wellbeing. His thoughts on me. Telling me he loves me. The end. But still, the end felt like a sucker punch. There was nothing I wanted more than to see him in person and tell him that I loved him, but I wasn’t in love with him. Of course, I knew how it would sound. Absolutely awful to anyone listening. But he deserved to know in person. Not in a letter. I just hope I’d get the chance to tell him. I stuffed the letter back in the envelope with a sigh. It was almost lunch time, and while I was hungry, that letter almost sated my appetite. Of course, Nate wouldn’t take that for an excuse. He’d probably make me eat. He was worse than my mother, honestly.

I wasn’t quite sure where my head was when I heard the crash and then the yelling, but wherever it had been, my focus shifted solely to the commotion outside of my door. One voice was Bateman, the other sounded like…Quentin? Surging forward, I rushed to my door, wrenching it open.

I was appalled at the sight.

Sully was on the ground cradling his arm, which had to be popped out of place. Quentin was yelling angrily at Bateman, his voice louder than I’d ever heard it. He was flailing his arms, signaling to Sully, who seemed dazed at the whole situation. Bateman looked bored with the entire affair, which set my blood to boil. I didn’t think it could get much worse, but I was about to be proven wrong.

In a matter of seconds, Nate had walked into the main door, demanding to know what was going on. As he spoke, Bateman reared back, faster than a blink, and backhanded Quentin. _Hard_. Quentin hit the ground and didn’t move. And chaos ensued.


	13. twelve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [AJ FROST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35550753)   
>  [OC MASTERLIST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35551293)

* * *

 

 

**March 5, 1943 – The Lab, Camp McCoy, Wisconsin**

 

 

 

There are good days and there are bad days. Some start out bad and get better as the day progresses. Some start out perfect. The sun is shining, birds are chirping. Food tastes a little bit better and the fresh air is a little bit crisper. And it all can come to a screeching halt within a moment’s notice.

I am pretty sure that I saw Hell that day.

It was a disaster. What happened next all transpired in the matter of a minute and not one second of it was slow. It was truly the definition of Hell, of chaos, of utter catastrophe.

The moment Quentin hit the ground, Nate was running, sprinting even. He didn’t stop when he approached Bateman. Head down, shoulders hunkered, Nate tackled Erik Bateman head on, like he was a football player instead of a baseball junkie. Quentin wasn’t moving, wasn’t making a sound. Sully leaned over him frantically, despite his mangled arm, checking for any external and immediate injuries. I had moved at this point, standing closer to the carnage, to get a better look at the current fight between Nate and Sharkbait.

It wasn’t really much of a fight at all. Bateman had managed to throw Nate off of him once, into one of the lab benches, but Nate was persistent. He jumped right back into it and was straddled to Bateman’s chest, throwing punch after punch. Bateman was frantically trying to shield himself from Nate’s blows, but it didn’t matter. Nate’s fists rained down on the older man, hitting him back and forth, rattling him to the core. I hated Erik Bateman with every fiber of my being, but I couldn’t watch him get beat like this. A few punches were nice to see. This was just annihilation and pure rage for how Bateman had treated Nate, and Quentin, and Sully, and even me in the short time I’d been there. It got to the point where I was truly afraid that Nate was going to kill Erik.

As I started moving towards Nate, the door to the lab opened and the situation before us got a whole lot stickier. In the open doorframe, broad shoulders and imposing figure standing at six feet, was Colonel Chester Phillips, the head of the SSR. Of Project Rebirth. I had only met Phillips a handful of times and in that time, we had never really spoken. Usually Howard and Doctor Erskine did all the talking, and when I was addressed on the subject, I’d respond. He was the only one that ever just called me ‘Adelyn’ or ‘Dr. Frost’. Something about Phillips unnerved me, and I wasn’t sure what, but I was glad Erskine and Howard were big talkers.

Phillips opened his mouth, but whatever he was going to say died in this throat as his eyes fixed on Nate pummeling away at Bateman. I didn’t hesitate when I saw the Colonel though. I surged forward, catching one of Nate’s arms as it came up, ready to swing on Bateman again. Even though he was much stronger than me, the moment I touched him, the fight seemed to drain from Nate. I squeezed his forearm tightly and his head whipped around, eyes zeroing in on me. They weren’t the happy, light blue that I was so accustomed to seeing. They were wild and feral, like a cornered animal. I swallowed roughly and stood my ground, not tearing my gaze from his. “Nate…” I managed quietly. “Let him go, Nate.”

My voice effectively broke Nathaniel. His arm dropped and he sagged back onto his haunches. He was covered in sweat, his dark hair plastered to his forehead. His knuckles were a mess, covered in blood, a mixture of both his own from his hands and Bateman’s face. When his eyes found Colonel Phillips, standing in the door, his expression turned from ragged to stricken, like he was realizing his mistake all over again and imagining the repercussions.

I took one look at Bateman and had to look away. The man was a mess. His nose was surely broken in several places, and I was positive he might’ve had a shattered cheekbone. Both of his lips were split in two different places. His right eye was swelled shut. His left was bloodied, but wide open, staring Nate and I down. His breathing was shallow, but he was still conscious, his one eye following our every move. He hadn’t even passed out.

I let go of Nate’s fist as I looked away from Bateman and wrapped my arms around his chest, pulling him back with all my strength, which wasn’t exactly a lot. I wasn’t a wimp, but I certainly wasn’t all too built, either. Lucky for me, Nate pulled off rather easily, stumbling to his feet, and staring down at Dr. Erik Bateman, his eyes glued to his wrecked face. My hands were locked around his abdomen, and when he finally stood, one of Nate’s hands found mine and he intertwined our fingers.

The lab was utterly silent except for Bateman’s rather loud and ragged breathing. Quentin was sitting up now, Sully supporting him. He sported a large bruise which was forming on his right cheek. He seemed a bit dazed. I wasn’t close enough to really see what was going on with him, but my money was on a concussion. He seemed half out of consciousness, ready to pass out any moment. Colonel Phillips’ eyes roved the room and he was silent, but not for long.

His voice was like thunder as it echoed in the laboratory. “WHAT IN SAM HELL IS GOING ON AROUND HERE?!”

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

“Phillips is going to get a witness statement from Sharkbait.”

I was a bit startled at Nate’s voice when he suddenly spoke. After the incident in the lab, Phillips ordered everyone into action. He called in a doctor for Bateman and Quentin. Two came in with a stretcher and carried Quentin away to the sick bay. He lost consciousness when they stood him up, and I was worried. Sully, with the help of another doctor whom I didn’t know, followed behind, supporting a staggering Bateman.

That left Nate and I with Phillips. He didn’t yell like I was expecting. He ordered me, quite calmly, to go retrieve some of my medical supplies from my room, and to stay inside and wait for Nate. It was in my best interest to listen, so I did, but that’s not to say that I didn’t try to eavesdrop a little bit. It made it harder since he was being so infuriatingly calm.

It didn’t last.

As soon as I found all the supplies I’d need to clean up Nate, the yelling started. The words were jumbled and fast and angry, but I caught the gist. Someone needed to pay for what happened to Bateman. And the moment the evidence was turned on Nate, he was going to get canned. The thought made me sick to my stomach.

I was busy cleaning out a cut above Nate’s right eye. It wasn’t long, but it was deep. Since Bateman hadn’t landed a single blow on him, I assumed it had happened when he had been thrown into the lab bench. He hissed a bit as I dabbed a cotton ball with hydrogen peroxide on it to the cut, but he had been otherwise silent. I hadn’t yet started on his knuckles, but that was going to be a whole other ball game. He was rubbing his hands together nervously, spreading the blood. Blood welled up from the cuts on his knuckles when he clenched his fists. I’d told him to stop twice, but I don’t think he was really listening to me.

As I applied a single butterfly stitch above his eyebrow, he’d decided to speak a single sentence: “Phillips is going to get a witness statement from Sharkbait.”

I spared him a glance as I turned around to grab the bottle of hydrogen peroxide and a clean washcloth. “What?”

He didn’t respond for a few seconds as I poured the peroxide onto the cloth, soaking it. When I turned back to him, he spoke again. “A witness statement from Bateman. He’ll blame me. He wasn’t even drunk. I didn’t catch a whiff of liquor on him. He hit Sully and Quentin fully sober.”

My stomach clenched at the news unpleasantly, but I swallowed roughly. “There are witnesses, Nate—give me your hands.” He obliged as she spoke. “Me, Quentin, Sully. You were defending Quentin and Quentin was defending Sully.”

“Quentin’s unconscious. Sully’s mentally unstable. Phillips watched you pull me off, he won’t trust you. I’m screwed, AJ. Bateman’s the only reliable witness here in Phillips’ eyes.”

I wrapped his hands in the cloth and he winced as I washed the blood off and cleaned out the wounds at the same time. “Hold this here,” I instructed. Nate did as he was told as I turned around and grabbed two ace bandages. While I finished wrapping and cleaning Nate up, we were both silent. I knew he was right. To Phillips, Bateman was the only reliable witness. If it came down to it, I wasn’t sure anyone would be able to help Nate. Not until Quentin was awake to give his statement.

“Everything will be okay, Nate,” I said softly.

“How can you be sure?”

I shrugged. “It has to be.”

I finished packing up my medical supplies, and when I turned around, I was startled as Nate’s arms closed around me, encasing me in a bear hug. “Thank you, Adelyn Juliet,” he whispered into my hair.

I hugged him back, squeezing him tightly. “Any time, Nathaniel Theodore.”

Before either of us could do anything, the door to my room flew open. Nate and I jumped away from each other like repelling magnets. It was Phillips, permanent scowl in place and glowering at the both of us.

“If your little love fest is over, I’d like to speak to both of you. Individually. Adams first. Frost, I want you to wait.”

“Wait?”

“Yes, Dr. Frost, wait. In the lab. Understood?”

“Understood, sir,” I said quietly.

“Good, then get moving.”

And so I waited. Out in the lab area, sitting on one of the chairs at one of the benches. There was blood splattered on the ground where Nate had been going to town on Bateman. Part of me wanted to clean it up, but it made me sick to my stomach, just thinking about the entire situation. If Nate would get fired, that meant me being alone with Bateman. Sully was under his influence and Quentin couldn’t fight off a fly if I was ever threatened by Bateman, which I was sure would happen. It was a matter of when, not if.

I couldn’t hear what was going on in my room and I wasn’t quite sure why Phillips was interrogating Nate in it. Maybe because he was just visiting and he didn’t have an actual office. I didn’t know, but I didn’t like it either. I especially didn’t like that I couldn’t hear the conversation.

I worried about Nate and the risk he’d get fired. I was worried about Quentin and whether or not he was conscious yet. I was worried about Sully and hoped he was realizing what kind of a guy Bateman was. And finally, I was worried about Frank and how he was doing in Tunisia, considering the date he’d written the letter I’d gotten was over two weeks ago. I didn’t even know if he was still in Tunisia.

Burying my head in my hands, I groaned. I was so sick of being worried. I was sick of the war, even though we hadn’t even been involved nearly as long as Europe. I hated sitting around and waiting for things to happen. Patience was and never has been a strong point for me. I liked to happen in an orderly chain of events, preferably quickly. Waiting around to know whether or Nate would get fired was almost torture. And if he did, my chances at finding myself alone with Bateman were high. That thought scared me.

It struck me that I was truly afraid of Bateman. He was ruthless and he’d proven time after time that he was dangerous. And he certainly didn’t like me and wasn’t afraid to voice his opinion on my working in the lab. I got nervous when he was around because the man was a ticking time bomb, especially when he was drunk. When Nate was around, which was all the time, my nerves would settle. And now there was a chance that he might be going away for good.

I wasn’t sure how long I’d been waiting. It had been a decent amount of time to be left alone with my hyperactive brain. I was all kinds of relieved when the door to my room opened and Nate exited. Colonel Phillips held the door open for me to walk in, but my gaze fixed on Nate. He looked tired and worn out and utterly defeated. He didn’t even meet my eyes as he brushed past me. The sight was more than enough to confirm my fears.

“You fired him, didn’t you,” I said quietly, soft enough that Nate wouldn’t be able to hear me.

Chester Phillips looked at me grimly and nodded his head inside. “Come on in, Doctor. We have a lot to discuss.”

I entered my room tentatively, sitting on my bed while Phillips closed the door. I asked again, “You fired him, didn’t you?”

Phillips didn’t respond as he sat down in the chair opposite me, the chair Nate had been sitting in only minutes before the incident in the lab. He regarded me with a sort of cool composure, propping his elbow on one knee and placing his chin in his hand. “What happened, Doctor?”

“What did Nate tell you happened?” I shot back. “Because I’ll bet he said Bateman hit Sully. And when Quentin interfered, Bateman hit him too. And I’ll bet he told you that he was just defending his friends, right?”

“He said it was his fault.”

“What?!” I yelped.

“He said it was his fault, but he also explained what happened just like you told me. And I believe him.”

“Then why’d you fire him?!” I asked incredulously.

“Because someone has to go for what happened. And it won’t be Bateman because he’s the head scientist around here and how he runs things isn’t my business. For all we know, Colin Smith deserved that first hit.”

“Colin Smith wouldn’t harm a fly! The kid practically shakes at the sight of Bateman, he’s afraid to step up and tell the truth!”

“And that won’t hold in a hearing, Adelyn! If I tell my superiors that Nathaniel Adams was just defending a friend, they’ll ask me why ‘defending a friend’ got so out of hand and I won’t have an answer for them. Nate could have handled the situation better and I’m sorry he didn’t, but now he has to go. When Quentin wakes up, I’ll have more of an understanding about the situation, but for right now, Nate is volunteering himself to take the fall. So for now, he’s going to.”

“You can’t let him if it isn’t his fault!”

“He said it was, Adelyn, what am I supposed to do? With a statement like that, Nate’s going to go down the road until Quentin provides a better understanding, okay? I’m sorry, but that’s how things are. Now if you’re done yelling at me—”

“Bateman’s an alcoholic,” I blurted out before I could stop the words.

Phillips’ sentence died in his throat and he frowned. “What?”

“Bateman,” I said hurriedly. “He drinks. A lot. On the job, off the job, whenever. That’s why he hits. It’s because he’s usually drunk.”

Phillips didn’t say anything for a while as he digested what I told him. When he finally did, it wasn’t the answer I was hoping for. “Well, that’s one hell of an accusation, Adelyn.”

“It’s true, sir!” I insisted.

“Do you have proof? A stash? Was Bateman drunk when what happened today happened?”

“Well, not according to Nate, he didn’t smell any liquor, but—”

“Then I’m sorry, Dr. Frost. There’s nothing to be done. I’ll at least order a blood alcohol test, but other than that…” Phillips shrugged. “See me when Quentin wakes up and gives his statement. Then we’ll talk. Now, I came here in the first place to talk to you about Project Rebirth…”

And just like that, the subject of Nate was abandoned. We talked about my assessments on the soldiers and how he’d been reading them. He said there were several good choices, but the perfect one just wasn’t there yet. Erskine had apparently completed a test sample of the serum and he’d given it to Phillips for me to take a look at. “We’re closer than ever, Adelyn,” he’d said. “We just need to find the perfect soldier.”

Too bad finding the perfect soldier was harder than it sounded.

As we continued to discuss Project Rebirth, my mind was only half on the subject. The other half was with Nate, and the fact that he was brave enough to take the blame for what had happened in the lab. He was brave, yes, but when it came to Bateman, I certainly wasn’t. As soon as Nate was gone, I’d be on Bateman’s radar, I was sure of it. I’d just have to be careful. Careful, I supposed, and hope that Bucky would finally decide to talk to me again and wouldn’t mind if I stuck to him like glue.

The sheer thought made me snort.


	14. thirteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [AJ FROST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35550753)   
>  [OC MASTERLIST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35551293)

* * *

 

 

**March 6, 1943 – Camp McCoy, Wisconsin**

 

 

 

I’d been having a relatively good dream when the banging started. It included real food, a walk in Central Park on a cool autumn day, and watching the sunset of the New York City skyline. Downtown was relative quiet in the dream and I dared to say that it was even peaceful. I was enjoying the few moments of serenity I was getting.

Then the noise started. It was quiet at first, an incessant banging that wouldn’t stop. It got louder and louder and the beating was uneven, like someone was panicked. I woke up with a start a second later, realizing the banging was coming from my door. Blinking weary eyes, I turned on my bedside lamp and looked at the clock. It was only 6:34 in the morning.

I sat up and rolled out of bed, not really bothering to put on my robe and only wearing my red silk nightgown. I figured whoever was deciding to wake me so early could deal with me not being completely presentable.

With a yawn, I unlocked my door and flung it open, surprised to see a heaving Adams standing there, also in his pajamas. I felt the tips of my ears heat up when I saw what he was wearing. Dressed in only a pair of boxer shorts and a white tank top, he’d haphazardly thrown a robe on, but it wasn’t tied and hanging half open. He clearly wasn’t worried about it though, his eyes wild and hair sticking up in various directions, not the clean cut and carefully styled like I was used to seeing it. He was gripping a piece of paper until his knuckles were white and he thrust it in my direction.

“Read it,” he said shortly.

“Nate, what the—”

“Please, AJ. Just read it.” He was pleading with me now and there wasn’t any way I could refuse him.

I looked at him warily and snatched up the paper, using my other hand to rub the sleep out of my eyes. The letter was crinkled where Nate had been gripping it and the words were haphazardly written in a messy scrawl. _< Quentin’s messy scrawl_. Narrowing my eyes, I read over the message.

 

 

 

**March 6, 1943**

_Nate and AJ,_

_I heard what happened. When I woke up, Phillips told me. They want to fire you, Nate. You were just protecting me. It’s not your fault. You don’t deserve this. That’s why I’m taking the blame. I provoked Bateman. At least, that’s my excuse._

_I know you’d hate me doing this, both of you. But let’s face the facts: I can’t watch AJ’s back. I can’t keep her out of harm’s way like you could, Nate. So I hope you two understand why I made the choice that I made. By the time you read this, I’ll be gone. At least write to me, yeah? My address is on the back. Hopefully we can all get together sometime and laugh about this._

_I love you guys,_

_Quentin Belfort_

 

 

 

 

I was numb as I flipped over the page, seeing a hastily written address. “When did you—”

“I just woke up. It was on my dresser.” I wordlessly handed the sheet back and Nate took it gingerly. He ran a hand through his hair, displacing what pieces weren’t messed up. His blue eyes met mine and they were more scared than I’d ever seen them. “He took the fall for me, AJ, I can’t let him do that!”

I reread the letter once, then twice, making sure I was processing what I was reading. There was no mistake, though. Quentin had taken the blame so Nate could stay on campus and keep me safe. There was a part of me that wondered why I had to be kept safe and why they thought I could be harmed so easily, but it was obvious, wasn’t it? Quentin wanted Nate to keep me safe from Bateman.

Rage boiled in the pit of my stomach. I thrust the letter back at Nate and he caught it. Wordlessly, I turned away and went to my bed, sitting on the edge. My mind was racing a hundred miles a minute as I tried to think of how to control the situation. The only thing that came to mind was pinning the blame on Bateman, but I wasn’t sure how.

“Is that it?”

I looked at Nate, who was resting in my doorway. He was slumped against the doorframe looking utterly defeated. I pursed my lips and said, “I don’t see what we can do, Nate.”

“We have to get the word out about Bateman, AJ! We have to!” His voice was desperate.

“Don’t you think I realize that? But…but, Nate, come on! You heard Phillips! We need evidence, and that’s something we don’t have! I don’t know if it’s something we’ll ever have. Bateman’s a drunken idiot but he isn’t a stupid drunken idiot.”

Silence fell over the two of us. I watched as Nate read Quentin’s letter once more. Then, glancing at me a final time, he turned and left my room, closing the door quietly behind him.

After Nate left, I shut out my light and tried to go back to sleep. It didn’t come. I laid in bed for twenty minutes or so, just staring at the ceiling, trying to think of any way to get Quentin back. Nothing came to mind. I didn’t see a way out of this. Nate didn’t either, that much I was sure of.

Once I was certain I wouldn’t get back to sleep, I slipped into some actual clothing consisting of a long red dress and a black leather jacket that had been my father’s. After I’d made myself at least sufficiently presentable, I found myself wandering the campus. It was only around a quarter after seven in the morning and already the entire camp was bustling. Soldiers came in and out of the mess hall. Drill sergeants’ whistles were heard, their shrill noise paired with gunshots breaking through the peace and quiet of the chilly March morning.

I wasn’t particularly hungry, nor was I interested in interacting with any of the soldiers, and I certainly wasn’t going to return to the lab where Sharkbait would be. In the time that I’d been there, I’d only really been able to examine the serum twice, both times while Bateman was away. I didn’t really ask questions about where he was and I didn’t really care. Nate and Quentin had let me know he was away so I could make some tweaks. From what I’d seen since, the serum was just about perfected. All we needed now was the perfect candidate, which I had yet to find. After being on Camp McCoy for so long, I wasn’t sure that what I was looking for was here. While some soldiers definitely showed promise, they didn’t have the potential that I knew Howard and Erskine were hoping for.

When I found myself underneath the tree that I’d eaten with Bucky and his friends under so long ago, I wasn’t surprised. I realized with a start that it had been over a week ago that that had happened. I hadn’t seen James since. Not even in passing. A pang of disappointment rushed through my chest and I sighed as I slid down to sit. I’d realized it was pointless to try to dislike Bucky. It was pretty much impossible. My fingers tore up grass as I sat, just relaxing and thinking, which was something I hadn’t had much time to do in light of recent events. Between interviewing soldiers who weren’t even close to being qualified to take the serum and dealing with Erik Bateman, I didn’t have much time to do anything.

A canteen appeared in my line of sight. I started, my eyes travelling from the canteen, to the hand that held it, up the hand’s arm, all the way to the face of James Barnes. He wasn’t smiling like I was used to, but rather his expression was reserved, like he was trying to figure out what to say to me. He looked different from the last time I’d seen him. He was clean shaven now and his hair was clipped shorter on the sides. His blue eyes were less carefree than I was used to. The only thing that was the same about him was what he was wearing: white shirt under a kelly green overshirt, unbuttoned and the sleeves rolled to his elbows with a pair of standard issue pants and combat boots. I was struggling to keep my expression neutral because I was incredibly happy to see him. But he didn’t need to know that.

I took the canteen and he sat down next to me without a word, pulling his knees up to his chest. I took a drink, expecting water, but instead I got something incredibly different. Making a face, I looked over at Bucky. “Chocolate milk?”

A smile ghosted across his lips. “ _Iced_ chocolate milk,” he corrected.

I wrinkled my nose. “That’s gross!”

“You’re drinking it, aren’t you?”

I didn’t have an answer, so instead I lowered the canteen from my lips. “Why ice?”

“I’d rather have my chocolate milk slightly watered down rather than spoiled, wouldn’t you agree?” he asked, the playful light in his eyes resurfacing.

“It’s chilly out here, Ja–Bucky,” I corrected. “I don’t think it’s going to spoil.”

“Well, I’d rather be safe than sorry.”

We lapsed into a bit of silence after that and I handed the drink back to Bucky. He took a drink and fiddled with cap for a moment. He cleared his throat and said, “I heard what happened.” I looked at him quizzically. “With Belfort,” he clarified. “And Bateman…word is flying. You accused him of being a drunk?”

“It wasn’t an accusation. I was telling the truth,” I huffed, letting my head fall back and hit the tree with a defeated _thunk_.

“Hey now, I never said you was lyin’. I believe you, AJ. I do.” He opened his mouth to say something, but held it back. “So what’s going to happen then?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, Belfort’s gone and Bateman’s got slack. Aren’t you and the other guy going to do something? Adams, was it?”

“There’s not much we can do,” I said, ripping out a chunk of grass. When I held it up, a gust of wind caught the blades and they flew off my hand, into the air. “We don’t have evidence. We just have a whole lot of nothing unless Sully steps up.”

“Sully. That’s the guy who practically worships Bateman?”

“He _cowers_ under Bateman,” I corrected. “We think Bateman abuses him, surprise, surprise. I just don’t see how this entire thing can be so corrupt. It’s like the whole world’s going to shit, not just overseas.”

Bucky whistled. “You got a mouth on you, Frosty.” He cracked a grin, and as much as his demeanor made me feel a bit warmer, I couldn’t bring myself to smile back.

“I think this would suffice as a reason to use strong language.”

Bucky sobered up quickly and I appreciated it. “I agree with you, AJ, I do. But I don’t agree with you and Adams just sittin’ around like ducks. Why don’t you get that evidence, huh?”

“Where would we even start for something like that?”

Bucky opened his mouth to respond, but a whistle blew shrilly. He checked his wrist watch and said a few words that I was certain my grandmother wouldn’t have appreciated. “That’s my sarge. I have to hustle or I’ll be stuck with KP duty again.”

“KP?” I asked.

“Kitchen patrol. It’s as bad as it sounds,” he said as he stood up and dusted his pants off.

“How’d you get roped into that?”

Bucky merely grinned at me crookedly. “Apparently the Sarge doesn’t like me takin’ leisure strolls and sharin’ my meal with the lady scientist on base.”

I could feel the tips of my ears heat up at the insinuation. “You’re getting in trouble because of me?” My voice came out an octave higher than usual.

“Because of you? Hell no! I’m getting in trouble on my own accord, Frosty. You got nothing to do with it.” His smile stretched a bit wider, his eyes twinkling. “Besides, it was worth every godforsaken second of scrubbing those dishes.”

I ducked down and shook my head, partially because I couldn’t believe him, partially because I didn’t want him to see my growing blush that I just knew was there. I didn’t even want to acknowledge it and yet, there it was. “I–You’re telling me that–Oh my God, you’re going to end up getting both of us in trouble!” I said after I stopped speaking in sentence fragments.

Bucky chuckled good naturedly. “I don’t think so. Your CO here is Bateman, and I don’t think he gives a rat’s behind about reports on you. So technically the only one getting in trouble here is gonna be me.”

The whistle sounded again and I looked up at Bucky, unable to wipe the grin off of my face. “You’re going to be stuck with dirty dishes again,” I warned.

He laughed and backed away as he started to make his way towards where I could see a small group of soldiers lined up. “Like I said, it’s worth it.” Before he turned around he said, “And about Bateman. You and Adams…you two aren’t just gonna quit. It’s not in your nature and after hearing about the beating Adams gave that jackass…it’s not in his either. You’ll find your evidence. I mean, there’s gotta be somethin’. He’s a drinker, AJ, he’ll leave a trail.” By that point he was yelling because he was so far from me and making an absolute fool of himself. He spread his arms. “You’re a genius, AJ Frost!” he yelled.

A small laugh escaped my lips and I could see his smile, all bright as he turned around and broke into a jog to reach his sergeant.

I shook my head and as I leaned back, my hand bumped something. I glanced to my left and there was Bucky’s canteen. He’d left it there and I picked it up. I could hear the ice cubes rattling inside. To this day, I’m still not certain whether Bucky left it there on purpose or not. It didn’t matter though, because sitting there, staring at the canteen gave me a brilliant idea.

What had Bucky said? _He’s a drinker, AJ, he’ll leave a trail_. Of course he would. He was a drinker. He had to get his supply from somewhere and he had to keep it somewhere, on campus most likely. The only question was…where?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter written by [TheOCArchitect](http://archiveofourown.org/users/TheOCArchitect/pseuds/TheOCArchitect). Everyone show some love for her creating this story and wish me luck on continuing on with it! Hopefully I don't disappoint. **NEW CHAPTERS COMING SOON**


	15. fourteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First chapter written by yours truly! - ohhitherekate
> 
>  
> 
> [AJ FROST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35550753)  
> [OC MASTERLIST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35551293)

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

**March 6, 1943 – Camp McCoy, Wisconsin**

 

 

“AJ?”

Looking up from the file, staring back at AJ was Anthony James. She had been surprised to see his name on the list of candidates that Colonel Phillips had given her, but after reading his record, AJ understood why he had made the list. The dark-haired man, still in need of a proper trim, looked at her, leaning forward in his seat only to straighten when she raised her brows at him, he cleared his throat roughly, shifting in the chair.

“I mean, Dr. Frost.” Anthony corrected himself.

AJ ducked her head, fighting back a smile. He was the first of the friends AJ had made on base that she was interviewing. And after running a physical on him that made the mans ears turn a shade of red that mirrored her own lipstick, it was now time to interview Anthony.

“Why did you enlist?” AJ asked him.

Anthony looked taken back, trying to sit even straighter in the chair. “I uh, because it was the right thing to do.” He said, voice cracking slightly.

“Why?”

“Why?” He echoed the question.

“Why was it the right thing to do?”

Anthony narrowed his eyes, “I’m sorry, AJ – Dr. Frost,” He was quick to correct himself again. “I don’t understand.”

Setting down his file, AJ placed her hands together on top of the desk. “You don’t understand the question, or you don’t understand why I’m asking it?”

He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck, cheeks flushing. “Y’know, you’re pretty damn intimidating for such a little thing. I can see why Bucky’s always going on about ya.”

AJ pushed her hair behind her ears and sighed, scribbling down a few notes that she’d need to go over later while reviewing Anthony’s file.

Dr. Erskine always asked just one question, _do you want to kill Nazi’s?_

There had yet to be a solider who didn’t jump at the opportunity to say yes. Perhaps with a different approach, AJ may find a different answer from Anthony. A man who met nearly every requirement to be a candidate for Project Rebirth physically. But it was her assessment of his mental state on the war that would sway Dr. Erskine.

And then Anthony surprised her. “I suppose I enlisted because I’ve known all along we should be fighting this war. I didn’t enlist because Japan attacked us – I enlisted because there are innocent people dying overseas because a mad man somehow is in power. I enlisted because there’s a kid who lives on my street back home – small thing, wouldn’t hurt a fly – who just so happens to be Jewish. And I feel like it is my duty to protect him by going over there and fighting for my country. A country that I vow to keep safe from men like Adolf Hitler.”

That just left one question left to ask she would need to ask after hearing his reason for enlisting.

“You want to kill some Nazi’s?” AJ asked, hoping for a different answer from Anthony than she had received from all the other candidates.

There were two stamps, one on each side of Anthony’s file. One, after being dipped in ink, would read the word: ACCEPTED. The other: REJECTED.

She waited for his answer before grabbing one.

“Yes ma’am. I do.”

Trying to hide her disappointment, AJ reached for the stamp on her left and quickly pressed it down into the ink before marking Anthony’s file and closing it quickly before he could see.

“Thank you, Anthony, you may go now.”

Anthony grinned wide at her, giving a little nod before he left the room.

Sighing, AJ opened up the file and watched as the red ink dried.

**REJECTED.**

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

  **March 9, 1943 – Camp McCoy, Wisconsin**

 

 

 

It had been three days since she talked with Bucky. And every single one of those days, Sharkbait had been keeping his eye on AJ. Any move the female scientist made, he watched. It was almost as if he knew that she was trying to find the evidence she needed against him.

Nate, the loyal friend he was, stayed by AJ’s side whenever Dr. Bateman was around. He didn’t want her anymore in the line of fire than she had to be. Safe to say, Nathaniel Adams did not like the idea of AJ snooping around Batemans office to find his stash. He decided to task himself with that mission.

AJ sat at her desk, going over Batemans sloppy scrawls on his notes. By the end of each page, his handwriting grew worse. But that could always be explained by the man being exhausted. AJ knew better though.

“A-…AJ?”

Looking up, Sully stood in front of her. His thick curly hair hung over his crooked glasses. AJ noted that the bridge of his glasses was bent. She had to frown, knowing that Sully’s frames had been fine earlier in the morning. That’s when she noticed the stain of dried blood under his lip. AJ stood up in a haste, walking around the desk and over to the tall skinny man and began to examine his face. He flinched when she lifted her hand up to grab his chin to get a better look.

AJ slowly recoiled her hand, not meaning to upset Sully any more than he already was. “I’m sorry.” She made sure to stress each word.

He nodded shakily, pushing up his glasses that fell down his nose with his good hand. His left arm was still protected in a sling from his blow he took that caused all things to go to Hell. Nate had been the one to pop his arm back in place, but it would take time to fully heal.

“I…I uh, I…need help.” Sully said in a quiet voice, AJ watched as tears filled his eyes. “Please?” His voice broke.

It was clear he wasn’t talking about needing help with work. AJ took a step closer, pressing her hand to his arm and giving it a light squeeze. “Of course, what can I do?” Leading him over to her desk, AJ motioned for Sully to take a seat in her chair.

He took in a deep shaky breath as AJ grabbed another chair and brought it over so she was sitting in front of him.

“You’re safe, Sully.” AJ made sure to tell him once she was seated across from him. She needed to make sure that Sully knew that she would never do anything to hurt him, that she wanted to protect him. The man looked so small, the same way he looked on the floor the day everything went to Hell.

Sully opened his mouth, and he recalled every single beating he took from Dr. Bateman. Each one more graphic then the next. It started off as a few swipes to the back of the head, and then they became worse.

“Please…AJ,” Sully held onto the hand she had offered him with a tight grip. “Someone needs to stop him.” He closed his eyes. “I’m…scared.”

AJ nodded, squeezing his hand back tight. “We’re going to stop him, Sully. I promise.”

Sully smiled.

But the man looked defeated.

Hopeless.

But AJ was not.

She was more determined now than ever.

She would find some way to stop Dr. Bateman.

 _I will,_ AJ swore to herself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

The evenings sky was a shade of pink and purple, the setting sun looking more red than yellow as AJ looked across at the open field in front of her. She kept her back was pressed against the tree that she now deemed her own, the tree she sat under on her first day at Camp McCoy. Sitting under the tree always had AJ at her most peaceful state. But after spending the last few hours trying to come up with an idea to take down Bateman…AJ was feeling less than peaceful.

She closed my eyes, trying to drown out every failed plan she had come up with to help Sully and get Quentin his job back.

_Come on, Jay. Think!_

Groaning, her head thudded against the tree, eliciting another groan from the woman, and a few words that even her older brothers would feel shame saying.

A familiar chuckle caused AJ to open her eyes.

“Get up.” Bucky was looking down at her with a lazy grin, his arm reached out, hand extended for AJ to grab ahold of.

Too tired to argue, too tired to even come up with something witty to say back to Bucky, AJ held out her own hand for Bucky to grab. He pulled her up with a quick tug. She let go of his hand once standing, brushing off pieces of grass from the skirt of her dress. The woman had been absentmindedly ripping the grass out of the soil again. Something she tended to do whenever she sat under her tree.

Bucky was looking down at her when she finally looked back up at him. “Come on,” He said, taking a step back and towards the road leading to the barracks. He kept his back to the road, signaling for AJ to follow his lead.

“Don’t you have dirty dishes to wash?” She called out after taking her first few steps to follow after him while he turned his back to AJ, waiting on the road until she was at his side. They fell into sync with one another easily as they walked down the road.

“No ma’am. Yesterday was my last day of KP Duty.” Bucky said, looking straight ahead.

Her green eyes traveled to his face, watching as his lips twitched up in a smile. AJ noticed a slight stubble already growing along his jaw line that hadn’t been there the last time she saw him. AJ looked away when he broke into a full-on grin, feeling her eyes on him, she was sure.

“Where are we going?” AJ asked, looking straight ahead.

“Nowhere.” He replied. With a raised brow, AJ gave Bucky a skeptical look when he looked over at her. “We’re just takin’ a walk, Frosty.”

“With no destination?” Her tone was dry.

He chuckled. “Exactly.”

They walked in silence, and before AJ knew it, she felt a relaxing calm take over her. It was odd to her how easy it was to feel so comfortable in Bucky’s presence. The two walked around the base twice as the sky grew a deep shade of purple.

AJ looked down at her wrist when they neared the barracks again, checking the watch her father had given her two birthdays earlier, the kitchens were closed now.

They had been walking for over an hour in complete silence.

AJ picked up her pace, taking a step in front of Bucky and then came to an abrupt stop, hands pressed against his chest to stop him from working forward as well. “Did you eat already?” She asked, brow quirked up.

_If he missed supper because she couldn’t keep track of time…_

He shook his head with a little grin. AJ opened her mouth to speak, but before she could say anything, Bucky’s hands wrapped around her wrists softly, catching her completely off guard. He slowly pulled her hands off his chest and held them, “What’s going on in that big brain of yours, AJ?” Bucky finally asked softly.

Sighing, AJ recanted everything Sully had told her about Bateman as Bucky finally let go of her wrists.

“I’ve been sitting under my tree for the past few hours trying to come up with some sort of way to get him fired or to kill him and make it look like an accident,” Her tone was very dry and Bucky grinned. “Any suggestions.”

Bucky gave into a little shrug with a crooked grin. “Well, I’ve never killed a man before,” AJ narrowed her eyes at him and then shoved hard against his shoulder. He grinned, pushing back on his heels to keep from falling over.

“I’m serious, Bucky.”

He sobered up, “I know, I know.”

AJ looked past, her eyes zoning in on the lab behind Bucky, a place she really did not want to go back to without a solid plan on how to get Sharkbait fired.

“What if you out his drinking?” Bucky suggested, seeing the troubled look on AJ’s face.

AJ brought her attention back to Bucky and sighed. “I tried…but without the evidence I’ll be the girl who cried wolf. Again.” She began to rub at her brow. “No one is going to take my word over his.”

“I would.” Bucky disagreed, his voice strong, no wavering in his tone. He meant what he said, and it made AJ feel warm. “And…this time you won’t be alone. I’m with ya, AJ. I'll help you find the evidence.”

AJ ducked her head, an overwhelming feeling of affection towards Bucky filling her that she tried to ignore. “Are you sure?” She looked back up. A teasing smile appeared on her lips. “You did just get off KP Duty?” AJ reminded him.

He snorted. “I’m sure.”

AJ grinned at him and then motioned for him to follow her to the labs. He spoke up again when they were at the door, “ _Our_ tree.” He corrected her.

“Hmm?” AJ said, walking through the door as he held it open for her.

Bucky followed after her. “You called it _your_ tree.” He moved to stand in front of her now. “I’d beg to differ, Frosty. That tree is _ours_.”

AJ felt her ears burn and took in a breath of relief when she saw Nate making his way over to them. “Nate!” She said, glad that the man showed up when he did.

Nate stood with them now, leaning in close. “I found it. I found his stash.”

Smiling wide at Nate, AJ felt like finally things were going right.

They did it.

They finally found a way to get rid of Sharkbait for good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

**March 10th, 1943 – Camp McCoy, Wisconsin**

 

 

 

Finally feeling comfortable and sure enough, AJ made her way into Colonel Phillips office, accompanying her were Bucky and Nate. If it wasn’t enough for the people who ran Camp McCoy and employed Dr. Erik Bateman to take a woman’s word – hopefully with proof, the backing of Bucky and Nate, and with luck; Colonel Phillips as well – they would believe that the man was a danger to be around.

AJ curled her hand into a fist as they stood in front of Colonel Phillips office, trying to find more courage before she went in with the information on Bateman. It wasn’t until she felt the soft squeeze on her arm and looked over her shoulder to see Bucky looking down at her with an assuring smile. She nodded with a soft smile and then gave the door three raps by her fist and waited until Colonel Phillips shouted for them to come in.

She straightened her blouse and pushed her hair behind her ears before she opened the door and stepped inside, Bucky and Nate following closely behind her.

“Dr. Frost,” Colonel Phillips looked up, blinking in surprise when he saw she wasn’t alone. “Adams,” He greeted Nate and then squinted at Bucky.

“James Barnes, sir.” Bucky said, standing up straight, hands positioned behind his back.

Phillips nodded and then looked back to AJ. “Is there a reason for this visit, Frost?” He asked.

“There is,” AJ made her voice strong and confident. “You asked me before if I had proof of Bateman’s drinking and I did not. I do now.”

Phillips raised his brows in surprise. “You do, now?” He got up from his desk chair.

AJ looked over to Nate, who then explained to Colonel Phillips that he had seen Bateman drinking on the job, and was able to find his stash – giving a specific location as to where he hid his booze.

“And you’re sure about this, son?” Colonel Phillips asked Nate.

“I am.”

Phillips then turned his attention back to Bucky. “And you are here as…?”

“Dr. Frost confided in me about Bateman, and I would like to volunteer to be a personal witness if a trial is needed to determine Adelyn’s credibility.” Phillips made a face, not particularly liking Bucky’s tone.

AJ told him her worries of going to Phillips, simply for the fact that even with the stash location – being the only woman in a camp full of men, her opinion didn’t really matter. And when it came to credibility? She had a hard time believe they’d ever listen to what she had to say or believe her words as the truth. It wasn’t Colonel Phillips she worried wouldn’t believe her, it was the men who he would have to go to afterwards with the information. When they heard that the accusation came from a woman?

It wouldn’t be pleasant.

And Adelyn Frost had a bit of a temper when it came to misogyny. It was hard to bite her tongue when it came to men not giving her the time of day. It was hard enough being taken seriously as a female scientist – but coming forward with an accusation against her superior? It’d be a laughing stock. And AJ was too passionate about Project Rebirth now to risk losing her job.

She believed in Project Rebirth.

She just needed someone to believe _her_.

“Dr. Frost’s credibility has never been in question for me.” Phillips said in a stern voice. He then looked over at Adelyn. She mimicked Bucky’s stance, keeping her arms behind her back. “Sully – has he finally changed his mind about testifying against Bateman?”

“Yes, he has.” AJ nodded. “He came to me in private and went into detail about how long Bateman has been abusing him. I swore to him that I would help him. I hope you won’t make me a liar.”

Phillips sighed dramatically, rubbing at his brow. “You’re a damn pain in my ass, you know that, Frost?” He grunted.

AJ grinned, seeing now that Phillips, in his own way, was agreeing to help. “Thank you, sir.”

“I suppose I can put off leaving for one more day. Come on now, I need to see this stash personally in order to help.” Phillip said, walking past AJ, Bucky, and Nate.

AJ looked to Nate with a wide grin, his expression mirrored her own. They were going to do it! Bateman would be gone and Quentin’s integrity would be restored. And with hope, he would come back to work with them.

“Get a move on it!” Phillips shouted, not out of the office.

AJ looked over to Bucky before they left the room, _thank you_ , she mouthed. He smiled, eyes twinkling and nodded. Always. He mouthed back.

Bucky had to go back to drills so it was only Phillips, Nate, and AJ who went back to the lab. AJ and Nate went inside first, the lady scientist pulling Sully aside to tell him that Colonel Phillips was going to help them and that if he felt comfortable, would he be willing to distract Bateman long enough for Phillips to find his stash.

The young man agreed, though he looked quite frightened. AJ gave him a reassuring smile and promised him that she would not let anything bad happen again.

“D-Dr. Bateman,” Sully called out, standing next to AJ, who held on tight to a beaker, ready to break it if need be, were a fight to start. Bateman didn’t answer, simply grumbled as he sat across from them, right in the line of view of the door where Nathaniel would be sneaking Phillips in. “I, I think I found some inconsistencies in your notes.”

Batemans head snapped up in anger. “Are you questioning my equations, Smith?” He huffed, Adelyn could smell the stench of booze on him from across the table. He moved around the table and over to where Sully and Adelyn stood, pushing AJ to the side with his elbow so he could look at the notes Sully was going over.

AJ watched as Nate opened the door quietly and he and Phillips came into the lab. For a moment, AJ was sure they were going to get caught when the door closed and Bateman made a move to look up. She quickly bumped into him causing him to move forward a bit into the table, the notes scattering a bit in the process so he’d have to look down to grab them. Bateman then turned to look over at her with a glare. “Damn woman,” He began to mutter.

“You see, here!” Sully said, stopping Bateman from going after Adelyn.

“Where?” He looked back to the Notes, pulling his glasses out of his lab jacket pocket and put them on. “You blind fool!” Bateman said in anger, going over the equation to prove that he was right. He was – but that wasn’t what they were trying to prove right now.

“Dr. Bateman,” Colonel Phillips voice filled the room, causing all three scientists heads to shoot up to look in his direction. “Care you explain what these are?”

AJ took a step back, moving behind Bateman and gently grabbed Sully by the arm to pull him away too. She didn’t want the young man to be anywhere near Dr. Bateman right now. It was safest for the both of them if they were not in sight at the moment.

“Those aren’t mine!” Bateman said with a huff, looking behind him to see AJ and Sully slowly walking away from him. “-The-they’re lying!” He slurred his words. “Tell him Sullivan!” He ordered Colin.

Sully looked at Bateman, and then glanced over at AJ who gave him a little nod.

_You can do this, Sully._

“Dr. Smith?” Colonel Phillips looked to Sully.

He took in a deep breath before taking a step forward, finally looking as tall as he really was. “The alcohol is Dr. Batemans, sir.”

“You little,” Dr. Bateman made a move forward and AJ put herself between Sully and Bateman.

“Don’t think about taking another step, Bateman!” Phillips hollered.

AJ was finally able to breathe once Dr. Bateman stood down, turning around to face Colonel Phillips after giving AJ and Sully a murderous glare.

He left shortly after with Colonel Phillips and before AJ could even say anything, Sully was pulling her into his arms in a tight embrace.

“Thank you.” He whispered against her hair.

She smiled, hugging him back. “Of course.”

AJ didn’t know how things were going to play out or how much trouble Dr. Erik Bateman would be in. All she knew was that for the first time since meeting Colin Sullivan Smith, his entire body was completely relaxed.

And it was worth the uncertainty of what was to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are always appreciated!


	16. fifteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [AJ FROST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35550753)   
>  [OC MASTERLIST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35551293)

 

 

* * *

 

 **March 11, 1943**  
**Camp McCoy, Wisconsin**

 

 

It had stared as a wonderful day. The afternoon had grown even greater when the head of Fort McCoy expelled Bateman as head scientist and told him to leave. Adelyn Frost finally felt as though things were falling into place. The weather was starting to warm, a beautiful blue sky with very little clouds to block the sun that shined above her. The female scientist was feeling content. After giving her statement, Adelyn felt strong. For once since coming to Camp McCoy, it felt as though her words mattered. The woman took a brisk walk from the cafeteria back to the lab where her co-workers and friends were already waiting for her. With Quentin Belfort no longer with them – the work load had already grown. And now that Dr. Erik Bateman had been expelled from the project- the three remaining scientists would need to be picking up the slack.

Nathaniel and Sully had offered to stay behind and work while AJ went to eat seeing as the female scientist had skipped her morning breakfast, her nerves for Batemans trial had gotten the best of her and made her stomach queasy. She hadn't wanted to add anything else that may upset her already aching belly. And she knew that the mush they served for breakfast at Camp McCoy would surely upset her. Adelyn had tried brush her co-workers off by telling them they had too much work to do but as the time passed, the hungrier Adelyn grew.

 _“AJ, I can hear your stomach from across the room!”_ Sully had laughed. It was the first time she had ever heard the tall man laugh since coming here the month before. _“Go eat – Nate and I can handle an hour without you.”_

AJ had narrowed her eyes at him playfully. _“I wouldn’t go as far as to say that, Colin. You two, I’m sure, will be hopeless without me.”_

Nathaniel had laughed. _"So helpless."_ He had joked along.

In the end, and after countless pestering, they convinced her to eat. _“You two are worse than my Italian mother!”_ AJ laughed as she hung up her lab coat, picking up her normal jacket to bring with her outside.

A turkey sandwich, apple slices, and a handful of baby carrots later; AJ walked back to the labs with her coat resting on her shoulders only to have it yanked off of her by a strong grip that made her stumble backwards a bit. AJ turned to face a wrathful Dr. Bateman.

AJ took in a deep breath as Erik Bateman glowered down at her, his breathing was hard and his eyes were bloodshot. He had been drinking, the stench of alcohol was radiating off of his skin.

“Dr. Bateman,” She tried to keep her voice from trembling.

“-You should have kept that mouth of your shut!” He seethed, spit flicked off his tongue and landed on AJ’s cheek causing her to close her eyes for a moment. She moved her hand to wipe off the fluid only to have Bateman grab her by the wrist harshly and drag her closer to him.

“Let go of me!” AJ demanded, trying to pull away from him.

“You’ve ruined my life – all of you! You, Adams, and that spineless twit Smith!” His grip tightened on her wrist and AJ could already feel her skin bruising.

AJ managed to get the upper hand when she remembered something that Samuel had taught her once in her youth. He had been worried that some day her sharp tongue may get her in trouble and had taught his younger sister how to fight properly. Her knee moved up in a sharp motioned and collided into Dr. Batemans groin. The man stumbled forward a bit, dropping AJ’s wrist as he groaned in pain.

The woman quickly turned, but not fast enough for her to get away and Dr. Bateman was able to pull her back by her hair, effectively pulling it out of her up-do she had put it in earlier. He yanked hard and AJ felt her scalp ache from the strength of his grip as he pulled her back to him.

“Let go!” She shouted, her voice higher than normal, the sound almost came out as a shriek. Bateman spun AJ around and backhanded her, causing her to stumble onto the ground.

But just as she fell to the ground, AJ watched as a body collided into Dr. Bateman as he moved to stand over her. But now Dr. Bateman had fallen to the ground as well.

It was one of the soldiers, that’s all that AJ was able to see from the flash of the mandatory drill uniform when Bateman had been knocked to the ground.

_“You son of a bitch!”_

She knew that voice.

Bucky Barnes.

He hit Bateman in his face repeatedly until more soldiers came running over and pull Bucky off of the former scientist while others assisted AJ in standing. Nathaniel and Sully pushed their way through the crowd that had gathered to get to her, but AJ was trying to focus on getting to Bucky, who was being pulled away by a few Commanding Officers at Camp McCoy and his drill sergeant as well.

“AJ!” Sully was in front of her now, blocking her view of Bucky, who was currently getting screamed at by his drill sergeant. She winced when she felt a piece of cloth touch her cheek. When the cloth was removed, AJ felt her cheek sting harshly. AJ pressed her fingers to the spot that Sully had just put his cloth on and felt a warmth. When she moved her hand away from her face and looked down at her fingers she saw that there was fresh blood on them now.

Dr. Batemans ring.

It must have split her skin when he backhanded her.

“Come on, AJ,” Nate said, moving his arm around her shoulder and pulling her close to him to get her away from all the commotion. Colin gave her his handkerchief that was now stained with her blood to press against her cheek to stop the bleeding.

AJ felt as though the world was moving slower than it truly was as her eyes searched the area for Bucky as Nate and Sully ushered her away. They were moving much faster than AJ was registering in her mind. But all of the chaos was causing everything in her sight to slow down.

But then she finally managed to meet Bucky’s eye.

James Barnes was watching AJ as she was being ushered away. His expression clearly read that he was worried. He took a step forward to go to her but his drill sergeant grabbed him by the shoulder and forced him to stay put. AJ didn’t know what to do – what to say. So, she let Nate and Sully lead her back to the labs.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

For the remaining time he had left at Camp McCoy, Bucky would be doing heavy drills every single day. Which meant that his remaining time with AJ would be limited. But Bucky swore to himself that he would share a meal with AJ, even if it was only once a day, during his last two weeks at Camp McCoy.

Bucky, sadly, was unsure that when they returned to Brooklyn that their friendship would continue. AJ and Bucky hadn't really been close back in Brooklyn. In fact, Bucky was pretty sure she had detested him. But she was close with Steve. (Given the number of letters his oldest friend had sent AJ since she came to Wisconsin.) AJ would tease Bucky when she’d get a new letter from Steve, telling him that it was clear that Steve enjoyed her more than he did Bucky. And Bucky would shake his head with a smile in amusement at her teasing but he never corrected her.

Because who wouldn’t like Adelyn Juliet Frost? She was a hell of a woman. A damn genius, clever as hell, a great sense of humor and the most beautiful green eyes Bucky had ever seen a person have.

Steve was lucky to have her in his life.

Bucky just wondered if AJ would continue to be in _his_ life as well when they returned to Brooklyn.

He had found her under their tree during dinner. Russel and Anthony suggested that Bucky go to the lab to find her but his gut had told him that he knew exactly where she’d be.

Under her tree.

 _Their_ tree.

AJ had her back pressed against the tree, her knees pulled to her chest as she took small bites of an apple that she held in her left hand.

She looked different to him somehow. Not exactly vulnerable, but smaller. Not so much a damsel but Bucky still felt the overwhelming need to keep her safe.

Dr. Bateman was gone. Bateman and his bags were thrown into a car and all of camp had clapped when the vehicle drove away. The sound of hoots and hollers echoed throughout the entire camp. Bateman was _gone._ He’d never touch AJ again. But Bucky still found himself looking around to make sure that Bateman wasn’t somewhere lurking around.

AJ turned her head in his direction while Bucky stood in place just watching her. He noted the piece of medical tape on her cheek and his jaw involuntarily clenched in anger. AJ must have seen him staring because her hand quickly moved up to her cheek to cover the piece of tape.

He could see the embarrassment in her eyes. “Not very flattering, I know.” She said, ducking her head a bit.

Bucky's entire body relaxed at the sound of her voice and he let out a little sigh.

Bucky walked forward until he was at the tree and set down his dinner, taking a seat next to AJ.

“Nah,” He disagreed, picking up his tray and shoveled a large spoonful of baked beans into his mouth. Bucky swallowed before speaking again. “You’re still a looker.”

AJ snorted in disbelief.

He looked down at the ground to try and find her tray of food but there was nothing there. Just the apple she was holding her hand.

“Not hungry?” He asked.

AJ shrugged. “Not really.” He watched as she looked forward and across the field. “It’s so quiet here.” She said and then looked back at him. “You can hear crickets.” AJ said with a small smile.

Bucky chuckled and nodded his head. There were definitely no crickets back in Brooklyn. “It’ll be strange when we get back home." Bucky admitted. "No crickets...but there’s this drunk who sits across the street of my house shouting all night about nonsense.”

She grinned, “I don’t think my neighbors sleep.” AJ said with a little laugh. “I hear them walking around all hours of the night. The old man above me plays records all night too.”

Bucky smiled at that. “But you wouldn’t trade it for the world, would you?” He asked.

He looked over at AJ and saw her smiling, eyes closed as she spoke. “No. I wouldn’t.” She opened her eyes and looked over at Bucky. “Brooklyn is home. Even if you can’t hear crickets.”

Bucky agreed with her on that.

He ate, and after a while, AJ began to eat his food as well. She grabbed his roll off his tray and picked at it. She had even dipped bits of the bread into the baked beans before plopping it in her mouth. Bucky didn’t ask her why she didn’t go to the dining hall for dinner – he just happily let her eat his food off his tray.

When they were done eating and the horns had blown to let all the soldiers know they needed to head to the barracks for the night, Bucky got off the ground and held his hand out for AJ to grab a hold of, helping her off of the ground. He smiled while watching as AJ wiped off all the grass and dirt from the skirt of her dress.

AJ then looked up at him. “Do me a favor and, uh," she shifted on her feet, "-don’t tell Steve about,” AJ looked down at the ground before motioning to the bandage on her cheek. Bucky nodded, swallowing hard. He hated that Bateman had laid a hand on AJ. And Steve, as little as he was, would always defend someone against a bully. And that was what Bateman was. He was a bully. Bucky had no doubt that Steve would hop a train and try and find the disgraced scientist. Which meant Bucky would have to follow him to keep the kid from getting pummeled.

“I won’t.” Bucky promised.

AJ nodded her head slowly and Bucky watched as she fidgeted with the cuffs of her long-sleeved shirt. “Thank you, Bucky.” She finally looked back up at him. “For…being there.”

He smiled, pressing his hand down on her shoulder and gave it a little squeeze. “Always.”

 

* * *

 

 

 

 **March 12 th, 1943**  
**Camp McCoy, Wisconsin**

 

 

 

Things had settled down at camp after Bateman had left. AJ took a small break from her colleagues to sit in her room going over more files alone. Next week she’d be interviewing the final candidate that Colonel Phillips had given her: Russel Caldwell.

Yet another friend she had made while working at Camp McCoy.

AJ often wondered why, out of all the candidates Phillips had given her, James Barnes had never made the list.

He was strong, brave, and kind.

And he was smart, too.

Why Phillips never put him on the list was odd to AJ.

But would she be able to objectively interview Bucky for Project Rebirth?

 _Of course!_ AJ argued with herself.

She had interviewed Anthony James and was able to be objective. Surely, she could do the same with Bucky.

They were both her friends.

That made her give into a little chuckle.

She thought back on when she first met Bucky. Back then, the thought of her ever considering him a friend was laughable. Now? It was just a fact. Pure and simple. James Barnes was her friend. He was…her _friend_.

AJ then frowned. Her eyes drifted to the box full of letters from her family and friends back home. Steve wrote her often to let her know about everything that was happening back home and all of the hi-jinks Jane and Lydia had been up to.

AJ really missed Steve.

Henry had written to his older sister and told her all about his schooling. His handwriting had gotten much better in the past year and AJ made sure that when she wrote back to Henry that she mentioned it; telling him that she was very proud of him the progress he had made.

Jane and Lydia had written a few letters to her, too.

Samuel had sent two letters. 

But she had still only received one letter from Frank Jackson. It wasn’t too long ago that she had received his first letter. But she held no ill will against him for not writing her more. Mail was easier to deliver from Brooklyn than it was from overseas.

Her relationship with Frank was more confusing and complicated to her than ever. AJ cared about Frank, yes. But she knew that she wasn’t in love with the man and that he deserved much more than she could give him.

AJ set the box of letters down on her bedside table when she heard a knocking on the door. “Come in,” She called out.

The door slowly opened and her eyes widened in shock when Quentin Belfort walked into her room. She pushed off her bed and flung her arms around his shoulders, hugging him tight. “You’re back!” She breathed out happily.

AJ felt Quentin’s chest rumble as he hugged her back.

She pulled away, keeping her hands pressed against his arms. “How?” AJ asked.

He smiled wide. “Colonel Phillips put in a recommendation for me to replace Dr. Bateman as lead scientist.” Quentin told her. Adelyn laughed as she smiled happily, patting his arm affectionately. But then Quentin said something absurd. “But I told him that you should be given the position.”

AJ quirked her brow up at him in amusement, not believing him. “You did now?”

“I did.” He nodded. “Dr. Erskine agreed as well. The job is yours.”

Her hands dropped from his arms and AJ had to take a step back. “What?”

“I know we only have two weeks left here at Camp McCoy – but you’re the best man- _woman,_ ” He correct with a smirk. “-For the job.”

AJ smiled, shaking her head in disbelief. “I don’t know what to say!” She said with a laugh.

“Say yes!” Quentin grabbed her arms and gave them a squeeze. “You deserve it!”

It would only be for the next fourteen days but that did not matter to AJ. This was all she had ever wanted to do in life! To lead her own team of scientist! The length of time she was able to do that did not matter.

“Yes!” AJ laughed. Quentin moved forward and hugged her again.

Later, AJ, Nate, Sully, and Quentin all celebrated together. Nate had found a hidden bottle of Vodka leftover from Bateman's stash. They had been wary to even drink from it at first but after Colin had poured the first glass, swallowed it in a quick gulp while wincing at the taste and giving into a yelp as he laughed – they all felt comfortable enough to drink from it.

AJ felt warm and light and her eyes watered from how hard she laughed when Nate put on a record and Quentin lead Sully in a dance. Nate had offered his hand for her and she grinned, standing up and let him lead her around, her already spinning head going into over-drive as he spun her around in a dance.

It was nice.

Here, right now, dancing with Nate while Quentin and Sully danced around them, AJ felt truly happy.

And then she had a strange thought; wondering what it may be like to dance with Bucky Barnes.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 **March 19, 1943**  
**Camp McCoy, Wisconsin**

 

 

AJ was tired.

Since taking over as lead scientist after Bateman was terminated; her work load had doubled. Mostly because Erik Bateman only ever finished half of his work. There was always a point in the day where Bateman had been too drunk to continue on with his work so AJ now had to spend hours rewriting equations with Sully, Nate, and Quentin. They spent days correcting the notes and were finally on the verge of perfecting the serum for Dr. Erskine.

Today, AJ was conducting her last interview for Project Rebirth.

She sat up from her chair when Russel Caldwell entered the room after she had shouted for him to enter. AJ walked up to him and motioned for him to sit on the bench while she got ready to perform his physical.

They chatted for a bit, AJ specifically asking questions that were part of the interview and making a mental note of what Russell's answers were and occasionally scribbled into his chart if his answer to her question was noteworthy.

And then Russell said something that surprised AJ.

She kept her back to him while he pulled his shirt back on and Russell began to talk again. “Barnes hasn’t eaten dinner with us for quite a few days.” He said, a bit of mischief in his tone. “But when he comes into the bunks for the night…that boy is all smiles.”

AJ felt her cheeks heat and was very glad that her back was still facing Russell and he was unable to see her face. “Interesting.” AJ had made sure to keep her voice neutral when she replied. She kept her focus on Russell’s chart, looking over it all to make sure she didn’t miss anything while simultaneously avoiding looking back at Russell. 

“Very interesting.” Russell agreed stepping forward and around AJ so he could get a look at her face. “He also smells a bit like…vanilla…with a hint of citrus.” He grinned. Russell then mock-gasped. “Matter of fact; I think I smell it right now.”

AJ shook her head with a little roll of her eyes, knowing damn well that Russell was talking about her.

It was the smell of _her_ perfume - a very distinct scent.

“Your mind is filth, Russell." She chastised him. "Bucky and I have had dinner together the past few nights as I’m sure you already know.”

Russell shook his head and raised his hands up. “No, ma'am. Bucky doesn’t kiss and tell.” He smirked.

“Filth!” AJ laughed, swatting him with his own file. “Sit down.”

Russell chuckled but did as she told him to and took a seat on the other side of AJ’s desk.

She had just one more question left to ask to determine if Russell Caldwell would be a candidate for Project Rebirth.

“Do you want to kill Nazi’s?” AJ asked him.

Russell frowned, his expression growing serious. He seemed to be thinking about his answer before he finally spoke up again. “If I could go the entire war without having to kill a single person…that would be ideal.” He answered. “But the truth of the matter is that I want to keep my family, my friends, and my country safe. I want to keep everyone safe and if that means people have to die in order to protect innocent lives…I’ll do my duty.”

Adelyn was happily surprised by his answer.

For the very first time, she reached for the stamp on her right, pressing it into the ink before marking his file. “Thank you, Russell.” She smiled. “You’re free to return to your bunk now.”

As Russell left the office, AJ looked down at his file with a smile. She’d send someone to deliver his file to Dr. Erskine in the morning.

Finally, AJ had found a candidate worthy of Project Rebirth.

In the end though, she would not be making the final decision.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 **March 26, 1943**  
**Camp McCoy, Wisconsin**

 

 

 

 

The entire camp left early that morning for home.

AJ only saw Bucky briefly as she had been walking to her car with her luggage.

He had run over to her and offered to carry AJ's bag the rest of the way to her car. She had teased him, saying that how even on his last day at basic training; Bucky was breaking the rules.

 _“I just wanted to make sure I saw you before leaving.”_ Bucky had said with a lazy grin as he leaned against her cars trunk.

 _“You do realize that we are heading back to the same city, yes?”_ AJ reminded him.

He seemed very happy with her response. _"Yes, but then I’ll have to share my time with you with Steve.”_ Bucky smirked.

AJ smiled. She was really looking forward to seeing Steve Rogers again. It would be a long drive home, but Adelyn was looking forward to some time to herself. Her last two weeks at Camp McCoy had been long and busy but she had thoroughly enjoyed them. And though she was thrilled to go back home, she would miss the friends she had made at Camp McCoy.

Sully had already promised to visit Brooklyn in May and Nathaniel and Quentin would be visiting within the month to see her. Her goodbyes with them were sweet, each of them exchanging their information with the other with the promise of writing once a week.

It was particularly hard to say goodbye to Nate. He had become her closet friend here, her confidante, a man who never failed to make her smile and who had the kindest heart. She would miss him dearly. If it weren’t for Nate, AJ didn’t think she would have survived most of her days here.

Bucky, too.

But she would be seeing him back at home.

 _“I’m sure you’ll be busy with all the girls you have waiting for you back home.”_ AJ teased him. _“You won’t have any time for me, I’m sure.”_

Bucky shook his head. _“No, Frosty. I’ll always have time for you."_ He said with a soft smile that left her feeling warm.

Someone had called out Bucky’s name and shouted at him that they needed to finish up before the buses left.

He pushed off her car and looked down at her with a smile. _“I told ya.”_

AJ quirked her brow up at him. _“Told me what?”_

He grinned. _“The day you did my exam. I told you that if I wasn’t going off to basics - you and I would have become the best of friends.”_

AJ had chuckled, remembering the conversation very well. She had looked up at him with a small smile. _“I’m glad you were right.”_

His name was hollered again.

 _“I’d hug you goodbye – but seeing as you have a fella overseas, I won’t cross that line.”_ He winked as AJ rolled her eyes at his comment but smiled nonetheless. _“I’ll see ya around Brooklyn, Frosty.”_ Bucky had said with a grin as he stepped backwards.

AJ laughed, waving him off and turning towards her car to leave. _“Goodbye, Barnes!”_

She drove all day and just as the sky grew dark, AJ finally arrived back to Brooklyn. When she had driven to Wisconsin the month before, AJ had stopped over night at a motel from exhaustion – but now? The female scientist just wanted to be home.

Home, in Brooklyn, where her own bed was waiting for her in her apartment.

And now she was finally home.  _Thank God!_

AJ parked her 1939 BMW on the street outside her building and grabbed her bags out of the car before heading inside. She took a moment to appreciate the fact that she was back in her building, looking up at the brick exterior with a smile. She set her bags down on the ground when she got to her door, pushing her keys into the door and unlocking it. AJ pushed the door open with her shoulder and then bent down to grab her bags. Once she was inside, AJ stopped at the sight of Steve pacing in the middle of her living room.

“Stevie!” She laughed happily, dropping her bags on the floor of her apartment. “Did you miss me that much?”

He spun around, nearly tripping over his own feet in the process, “ _Jay,_ ” He breathed out.

AJ giggled, walking forward and pulled her friend into a hug. She was about to tell him how jealous Bucky would be that Steve had come to see her first - but she didn’t get the chance. AJ felt how tense he was when her arms were wrapped around him and the woman slowly pulled away from him, resting her hands on his shoulders as her brows furrowed in worry. "What's wrong?" She asked. 

Steve sighed and closed his eyes. “AJ…someone came to see you while you were gone.” He explained. “I told them you’d be back by tonight but they…they just left this,”

Her hands dropped from his shoulders, arms falling limply to her side as Steve pulled out a letter from his pockets as his hands shook the entire time. The look on his face was evidence enough that AJ knew already what the letter was about.

AJ was finally able to take the the letter from Steve after working up the courage to move her hands up to grab it. When she looked down at her hands, they were shaking just as badly as Steve's were.

“I’m so sorry, Jay.” He whispered.

“Who?” She asked as she looked down at the letter. But she already knew. The writing on the envelope wasn’t her mother’s handwriting, so she knew her family was safe. That left one person.

_Frank Jackson._

“I’m sorry,” Steve said again as his small hand wrapped around Adelyn’s wrist. He gave it a little squeeze before he let go of her and moved to walk past her to give her privacy to read the letter.

“No.” she told him. Steve turned around just as AJ did the same to face him. “Stay…please.”

Steve nodded his head and moved to sit with AJ on her couch as she opened the letter.

She must have gone over each word Franks mother wrote at least forty times.

The flesh wound Frank had written to her about was more extensive than he let on. AJ read the date his mother had written that Frank had died – three days after he had sent his letter to AJ. The wound had grown infected and without a proper medical team with him, Frank Jackson had died on February 21st, 1943.

By the time she had received his letter…he was already gone.

It left her feeling sick to her stomach.

AJ set the letter down on the small table in front of her and folded her hands together and leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees as her hands laid under her chin.

“Do you want me to go?” Steve asked her after a moment.

She shook her head quickly, telling him not to leave.

They sat in silence before AJ finally began to talk. She expressed her guilt – how that when she first got his letter she had wished Frank was there with her but not so she could tell him that she loved him in person – but to tell him that she was not in love with him the way he loved her.

“I think maybe…given the time,” She said while wiping away her tears. “-Maybe I could have loved him the way he deserved to be loved.” She shook her head and wondered if she was only saying this out of guilt or if it was the truth.   

Steve frowned at that. “I don’t think you can choose who you love, AJ. I mean, you can pick and choose who you _want_ to love, but not _how_ you love them…does that make sense?”

AJ forced herself to smile and nod. Steve was trying to help – but the nagging guilt would not go away that easily.

Steve stayed the night at her place, falling asleep easily on the couch in her living room. AJ waited until she heard him softly snoring to let the big tears fall.

Frank Jackson was a good man.

He had deserved better.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and feedback are always appreciated!


	17. sixteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [AJ FROST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35550753)   
>  [OC MASTERLIST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35551293)

 

* * *

 

 **June 14, 1943**  
_Brooklyn, New York_

**STEVE**

 

 

 

AJ was coming home today. Almost as soon as she came home from Wisconsin, she had left. Of course, Steve understood why. His friend still wrote him letters while she was visiting her brother Samuel and his family in Savannah – but something had clearly changed. Even just reading her words in the letters…the tone was off. Steve knew that AJ cared a great deal about Frank. But he also knew that she had guilt about not loving him the way he should have been loved – the way _he_ had loved her. It was hard for her.

She had written to him last week saying she’d be back by tonight and Steve was happy about that. But he was also very worried about her.

Steve knew that AJ was strong and that she’d pull through this. But Steve also knew just how hard AJ could get on herself when it came to guilt.

Strong-willed and strong-headed.

Kind of like Bucky.

Bucky sure did give him Hell for not writing him as many letters to him as he did AJ while he was at basic. All playful teasing, of course. Bucky understood that Steve had been worried about AJ being the only female at Camp McCoy. And when Steve had voiced the concern he had had, Bucky’s jaw had twitched. A very clear indicator that something was bothering him. Steve pestered him about it, asking why he made the face – but his best friend never told him.

Something had happened.

And it was clear that Bucky wasn’t going to tell Steve what that was. Had someone been crude towards AJ? Steve knew that she was at a camp full of male soldiers and they could be lewd at times. But it seemed as though something else had happened.

Not that Bucky would ever tell him.

Bucky had been waiting inside Steve’s apartment when he had returned the next morning from AJ’s. He had been worried. _“Your neighbor said she hasn’t seen you since yesterday morning.”_ Bucky said in anger. _“I damn near looked in every alley I could think of praying I didn’t find you beaten up and bloody somewhere!”_

That’s when Steve had told Bucky about Frank Jackson.

 _“AJ…She’ll pull through this.”_ Bucky said as they sat at Steve’s kitchen table drinking coffee. _“She’s a strong woman.”_ He said in admiration.

Steve had smiled a bit hearing his friends tone. Bucky, it seemed, was still carrying quite the torch for Adelyn Frost.

Bucky wasn’t at the theater yet. He was running late, but that wasn’t anything new to Steve. So, Steve sat by himself in the small theater and watched as the black and white pictures played before him. A war propaganda ad playing first.

Earlier that morning he had tried to enlist again.

But with just one look at him, the Doctor had already made up his decision.

**4F**

_Unfit for Duty._

Steve just wanted to help.

_“War continues to ravage Europe. But help is on the way. Every able-bodied young man is lining up to serve his country. Even little Timmy is doing his part by collecting scrap metal. Nice work, Timmy!”_

“Who care?” The man in front of Steve began to shout. “Play the movie already!”

Steve leaned forward a bit. “Hey, you wanna show some respect?” He kept his voice quiet, not wanting to disrupt peoples outing to the movies any further.

_“Meanwhile, overseas, our brave boy are showing the Axis powers that the price of freedom is never too high.”_

“Let’s go! Get on with it!” People around Steve began to look toward the man in front of him. But no one did anything. “-Hey, just start the cartoon!”

“Hey buddy, you wanna shut up?!” Steve said louder this time. Hoping the guy would come to his senses.

_“Together with the Allied forces, we’ll face any threat, no matter the size.”_

The man stood up and looked down at Steve.

He knew how this was going to go.

The first punch was always the worst, Steve had learned. Especially when you’re least expecting it. This one sent Steve stumbling backwards and into the trash cans in the alley just outside of the theater.

But Steve got up again.

He always did.

Another swing to the jaw sent him falling towards the trashcans again. Steve was quick to grab the lid of the garbage can to use as a shield when he spun around to face the guy. But the guy was much bigger and much stronger than Steve and yanked the lid away before punching Steve again.

“You just don’t know when to give up, do you?” The jerk asked when Steve managed to stand again, putting his fists up in the fighting stance.

“I can do this all day.” Steve breathed heavily and then swung his arm at that man. But the jerk had caught his arm before Steve could throw his punch and hit Steve again, knocking him over.

 _“Hey!”_ He heard Bucky’s voice. _“Pick on someone your own size!”_

Steve could hear the sound of something getting punched and despite the aching he still felt in his jaw – it wasn’t him that got punched. He looked up just as Bucky kicked the guy in his butt as the jerk ran away.

Steve pushed down on his hands to get up off the ground. “Sometimes I think you like getting punched.” Bucky said as he walked over to Steve.

“I had him on the ropes.” Steve replied once he was finally standing.

Bucky bent down and grabbed the enlistment papers that had fallen out of Steve’s pocket. “How many time is this?” He asked, reading the form. “Oh, you’re from Paramus now? You know it’s illegal to lie on the enlistment form. And seriously? Jersey?"

Steve’s ears finally stopped ringing and his vision had cleared a bit as he looked to Bucky. He was in uniform. That only meant one thing.

“You get your orders?” Steve asked.

“The one-o seventh. Sergeant James Barnes. Shipping out for England first thing tomorrow.”

Steve looked away from Bucky and then down to the ground and gave a little shake of his head. “I should be going.” He brushed the dirt off his jacket from landing on the ground.

Bucky shook his head and pulled Steve over to him, wrapping his arm around his shoulder. “Come on, man. My last night!” Bucky said, dropping his arm from Steve’s shoulder. “Gotta get you cleaned up!”

“Why?” Steve questioned. “Where are we going?”

“The future.” Bucky said as he handed him the newspaper he had been holding. Steve opened it up and saw a big ad: _World Exposition of Tomorrow._

They walked out of the alley and Bucky began to tell him that they were going on a double date together. Steve had argued with Bucky saying that he didn’t want to go. But somehow Bucky suckered him into yet another double date where the night would end with him leaving early and Bucky being left with two women on his arms. Not that Bucky ever minded that.

It wasn’t till they were about two blocks away from Steve’s apartment that Bucky finally asked what Steve was sure he been wanting to ask the entire time. “So uh, you hear from AJ yet?”

He smiled at that. “She’s coming home tonight.” Steve said. “That’s all I know.” Steve looked over to see Bucky frowning slightly. It caused Steve’s smile to fade. “I’m sure you’ll get a chance to see her before you leave, Buck.”

He nodded, standing up a bit more. “She didn’t write me back.” He admitted to Steve out loud for the first time.

But Steve already knew that. Bucky had gone to him and asked for AJ’s brothers address so he could write to her. And Steve knew that if Bucky had received a letter back from her – it’s all he’d be able to talk about for weeks. But he was very quiet about it.

“She’s got a lot going on.” Steve said, pressing his hand to Bucky’s shoulder in a quick pat. Bucky nodded again. Bucky was aware that AJ had written back to Steve – but Steve’s relationship with AJ was vastly different from Bucky’s own with the woman.

Steve was sure AJ considered him the harmless little brother type. Someone she could always turn to if she ever needed a should to cry on.

Bucky?

Now, that was just complicated.

With how vague Bucky had been about his time with AJ at Camp McCoy, and AJ leaving for Savannah, Steve did not know the nature of their friendship.

“You think she’ll go to this thing?” Bucky asked.

“She might. I know she works with Stark.” Steve then looked to Bucky with a raised brow and amused expression. “What’s it matter to you? I thought we had a double date tonight?” He smirked.

Bucky rolled his eyes and shoved Steve on the shoulder. “Punk.”

Steve smiled and kept walking. “Jerk.”

 

 

* * *

 

  
**AJ**

 

 

 

AJ had gotten back to New York early in the afternoon.

Dr. Erskine had invited her out to lunch to discuss Project Rebirth and the candidate that AJ had picked out of all the solider she interviewed at Camp McCoy. They talked business the entire meal, which AJ was grateful for. It wasn’t until Dr. Erskine walked her back to her apartment that he brought up Frank.

He gave her his condolences.

_“Grief…I’d like to say that in time it goes away. But… it does not. I will say though, that there are days you won’t feel it as strongly as you do now – there are days you won’t feel it at all. But it is always there. Mourn him as much as you need, but honor him by living your life. I am sure that he would want a happy life for you.”_

His words stayed with her when Howard Stark showed up to her apartment in the evening asking her to attend the Stark Expo. The man had even brought her a dress for the occasion. Normally she’d refuse, but Howard was oddly spot on when it came to knowing the type of dress a woman looked best in. AJ loved the dress the moment he unzipped the garment bag.

_“I won’t take no for an answer, Frost. Now go put on this dress because I needed to be there twenty-minutes ago.”_

AJ had shaken her head with a little smile and grabbed the garment bag from Howard and went and changed. Her hair was still done up from her lunch with Dr. Erskine, all she needed after changing into the dress was a few sprays of her perfume and to but on another layer of her lipstick.

Now she stood just off the stage with Howard as he waited for someone to introduce him.

 _“Ladies And gentlemen, Mr. Howard Stark!”_ A woman said and the audience erupted into applause. AJ laughed when Howard leaned in close and said, “That’s my cue!” Winking before putting on a top hat and then made his entrance.

He went on stage, taking off the hat and then handed it over to the woman who introduced him. AJ rolled her eyes with a laugh Howard pulled the woman to him and planted a kiss on her lips.

Every woman in the audience cried out their love for Howard. “Ladies and gentlemen,” Howard said after wiping his mouth clean of the dark shade of the woman’s lipstick. “What if I told you that in just a few short years, your automobile won’t even have to touch the ground at all?”

She raised her brows at that. _Is this what Howard has been up to while I was gone?_ She wondered. When AJ had asked him what he’d be showing tonight he had told her that it was a surprise.

AJ moved forward a bit, closer to the stage to get a better look at the red car and watched as the women on stage with Howard began to take off the car’s tires.

“With Stark robotic reversion technology, you’ll be able to do just that.”

Howard fiddled with a few dials on the platform next to him and AJ watched in awe as the car began to lift off of the ground on its own. After a few moments of hovering above the ground the car dropped down onto the stage. Something must have malfunctioned – but this was still so groundbreaking.

The audience applauded.

“I did say a few years, didn’t I?” Howard chuckled. But AJ could see the look of determination on Howard's face to fix it now. If he wasn’t dragged away by one of his showgirls, he’d be working on it for the rest of the night.

And she’d be alone.

Which she didn’t exactly mind.

After spending the last few weeks in Savannah, Georgia with Samuel, his wife, _and_ his kids. AJ didn’t mind having some time to herself.

While staying with her brother and his family, Sam had requested that AJ spend some time with his wife, Eileen. After a few hours alone with the woman, she understood what had attracted her brother to the southern belle. The woman was clever, smart, and very kind. AJ had expected her to be soft spoken and reserved, but she was not. She had no problem telling Sam off when he was in the wrong. Many of the times she did so in AJ’s defense.

AJ had grown up with her older brothers telling her what to do and how she should act – the second Sam said something to AJ that Eileen did not like – the woman sure as hell let her husband know about it.

And boy did the woman have a mouth on her!

AJ really liked her. Which wasn’t something she had expected. It didn’t help that she was overly protective of all her brothers and always thought that no woman would ever be good enough for them. But Eileen...she fit the bill pretty perfectly.

Dougie had grown so much since the last time she saw him at George’s wedding. And Lauren Grace! She had only been fourteen weeks the last time AJ saw her. Now the little girl was running around her house terrorizing their pet cat.

 _“She kind of reminds me of you when you were this age.”_ Sam had said when he caught AJ watching as Eileen put Lauren down to bed. _“The way she chases after Dougie always wantin’ to do what he does.”_

AJ had smiled, thinking back on her childhood. Growing up surrounded by brother at time had been difficult. But she wouldn’t change it for the world.

 _“Hopefully Dougie won’t get Lauren in as much trouble as you and Westly got me in.”_ She had said, nudging her brother who laughed loudly at her words.

_“Got **you** in trouble? I’m sorry, I do not recall you ever getting’ in trouble because of me and Wes. More along the lines of Dad yellin’ at us for lettin’ you come along wherever we went.”_

_“Well, you two didn’t really have a choice in that.”_ AJ had reminded him. She would follow her two oldest brothers around even when they told her to turn around and go back home. She was stubborn, even as a child. One-time, when she was eleven, Samuel, a moody seventeen-year-old, had threatened to run off when she followed him out of the house one night when he went to go on a date. Sam knew that he was faster than AJ and she wouldn’t be able to catch up.

AJ had fired back at him saying that even _if_ he were faster than her; if he left her alone at night their father would never let Sam leave the house again for the rest of his life.

Walking around, AJ began to people watch. There were young girls still standing by the stage, hoping to catch another peek at Howard. There were older couples walking around, completely amazed by some of the exhibitions. The longer she people watched, the more her gut told her she should be at home.

AJ looked at the stage one last time before she decided she’d head home for the night. On her way out, AJ stopped just outside of the recruitment center when she saw Steve’s small frame. He was standing a bit away from a solider in Uniform. They were arguing, it seemed. She turned her head a bit to the side when she heard a woman yell, _Hey Sarge! Are we going dancing?_

When AJ turned back to look over at Steve, she saw who the man in uniform was.

“Yes, we are.” Bucky shouted back to the woman.

 _Bucky._ She hadn’t seen him since Camp McCoy.

He had written to her while she was in Savannah telling her he was sorry to hear about Frank. But she had never replied. A part of her felt guilt about Bucky and what she may or may not have felt for him while at Camp McCoy – because the entire time she had been there trying to deny how she felt – not that she felt anything, per say – Frank was dead.

But she couldn’t exactly explain that to Bucky.

He had been a good friend at Camp McCoy.

And he had been a good friend by writing to her.

AJ just hadn’t been ready to face him yet. Even if it was just writing him back.

And it didn’t matter if she wasn’t ready to face him now because as Bucky turned around, he briefly caught her eye. The man almost tripped over his own feet when he must have realized it was really her after doing a double take. Steve had gone back inside the recruiting center and Bucky now stood there alone staring at AJ while, who she presumed to be his date, hollered for him to hurry up.

But he didn’t move.

He stood frozen staring at her. Almost as if he needed to stay completely still or else she’d disappear.

It made her smile.

AJ took the first step in Bucky’s direction but stopped when the woman he was with called his name again.

“Bucky! Let’s go!” She hollered.

AJ looked over at the woman, recognizing her now as one of the nurses from the recruitment stations. Her name was Connie, a sweet girl who started the month before AJ left for Camp McCoy. Bucky looked over to Connie and then back to AJ, who gave him a soft smile and a little wave goodbye. It was her way of telling him to go to his date. She turned away from him and headed in the direction of the exit.

He had been in his uniform.

That only meant one thing; _Bucky would be shipping out in the morning._

Dr. Erskine had mentioned soldiers shipping out in the morning briefly during their lunch earlier today.

She felt her stomach twist at the thought of Bucky going over-seas.

It wasn’t until she was almost to the exhibits exit that she realized that someone was now walking next to her. “You leavin’ already?”

AJ stopped and turned to face Bucky who was looking down at her with a crooked grin. She narrowed her green eyes at him. “What are you doing?” She asked.

“I’m doin’ whatever you’re doin’ for the rest of the night, Frosty.” He then motioned forward, “So lead the way.”

AJ ducked her head when she failed to hide her smile.

When she looked back up at Bucky, he was grinning. “I thought you were taking Connie dancing?” She reminded him with her eyebrow raised, keeping her face serious.

He shrugged. “She’ll get over it eventually.”

AJ laughed at that, shaking her head at Bucky. “Terrible.”

“Come on, I wanna show you something.” Bucky said and walked forward. When she didn’t follow after him, Bucky turned back to face her. “Come on, Jay – don’t make me spend my last night here alone.”

It _was_ his last night. AJ frowned, feeling her stomach drop at the thought of Bucky going overseas. “I’m sure Connie will be much better company than me, Buck.” She told him and walked over to where he was now standing. If he left now she was sure he could catch up with Connie and go dancing. He deserved to have a fun night out before he left for England. And AJ didn’t think she was the girl who could give that to him.

“AJ,” He began to say.

But she cut him off, “Honestly, Bucky – you should go spend your last night with Connie.”

“I don’t want to spend my last night with Connie.” He said, stopping her from saying anything further when he next said; “I want to spend it with you.”

She closed her eyes and smiled before she looked back up to Bucky, playfully glaring at him before she turned around and headed back into the exposition. He was at her side almost as soon as she turned around.

“Lead the way,” AJ told him as they walked.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

**STEVE**

 

 

 

 

Steve had watched Bucky leave.

But not with Connie and her friend Bonnie.

Instead, he watched as Bucky left the area with AJ.

Steve had been tempted to go up to her when he saw her but he knew that if there was anyone Bucky would want to spend his last night with before shipping out? It was Adelyn Frost. And he didn’t want to intrude on that.

He rolled up his sleeves while sitting on the medical table in a small room with the Doctor who had given him his physical. Steve watched as a nurse walked in, whispering something to the doctor causing him to head towards the curtains.

“Wait here.” The doctor told Steve.

“Is there a problem?”

“Just wait here.”

He left.

Steve glanced behind where he sat, seeing a sign just above his head that read: _It is illegal to falsify your enlistment form._

He thought back on what Bucky had said earlier.

_“They’ll catch you. Or worse, they’ll actually take you!”_

Steve wanted nothing more than to join the war. But he couldn’t do that from a jail cell. He hopped off the medical table and walked over to where his shoes were. Steve took a seat and quickly slipped them on but when he looked back up, an Enlistment Office MP was opening up the curtains.

He sat there for a moment, frozen, not knowing if he should speak. But then the curtains opened further an older gentleman came into the room. He looked to the MP who quietly left the area with a nod, shutting the curtains behind him.

“So,” The older gentleman began to speak. “You want to go overseas. Kill some Nazis.”

“Excuse me?” Steve said back.

“Dr. Abraham Erskine.” The man introduced himself as he walked over to where Steve was sitting. "I represent the Strategic Scientific Reserve.” He held out his hand that Steve was quick to shake.

“Steve Rogers.”

Dr. Erskine let go of Steve’s hand and walked over to the medical bench, setting the file he was holding down and read over it.

“Where are you from?” Steve wondered out loud.

“Queens.” He looked up to Steve. “73rd Street and Utopia Parkway.” He adjusted his glasses. “Before that, Germany.” He looked at Steve for a while before asking him a question. “This troubles you?”

Steve shook his head. “No.”

“Where are _you_ from, Mr. Rogers?” Dr. Erskine asked, looking back down at Steve's file, flipping through the pages. “Mm? Is it New Haven or Paramus? Five exams in five different cities.”

“That might not be the right file,” Steve began to lie.

“No, it’s not the exams I’m interested in. It’s the _five_ tries.” He held up his hand before closing Steve’s file and walked back over to where Steve now stood. “But you didn’t answer my question. Do you want to kill Nazis?”

Steve frowned, asking out loud what he was thinking in his head. “Is this a test?”

Dr. Erskine nodded his head. “Yes.”

He didn’t have to think long on his answer. He just spoke from the heart. “I don’t want to kill anyone. I don’t like bullies. I don’t care where they’re from.” Steve told the doctor.

“Well, there are already so many big men fighting this war. Maybe what we need now is the little guy, huh?” Steve looked at him with hopeful eyes. “I can offer you a chance.” The doctor said, turning to leave the room. Steve was quick to follow him. “ _Only_ a chance.”

“I’ll take it!” Steve said willingly.

“Good. So where is the little guy from, actually?” Dr. Erskine asked, standing at the front desk now with his file on the table. Steve watched as he fiddled with two stamps before settling with the one on his right.

“Brooklyn.” Steve answered with a little smile.

Dr. Erskine stamped down on Steve’s file and then handed it back over to him. “Congratulations, solider.”

Steve took the file and quickly opened it as Dr. Erskine left. **1A**. He had been accepted.

He felt his chest tighten with excitement.

 _Finally,_ someone was giving him a chance.

 

 

* * *

 

 

**AJ**

 

 

 

“And here is your prize, Soldier!” The man behind the booth said loudly, handing over the stuffed bear to Bucky. AJ laughed, shaking her head as Bucky proudly held up the bear. They had made a bet that if Bucky lost, he’d have to do whatever AJ wanted to do next. And if he won? Bucky got to choose what they’d do next.

“Don’t say I never gave you anything, Frosty.” Bucky handed her the stuffed bear he had just won. She rolled her eyes playfully before snatching it from his hand. “What do you want to do next?” He asked.

AJ raised her brow at his words. “You won the bet...or have you already forgotten that?” She teased.

“I wanna do what you wanna do.” He smiled.

AJ gave him a look and shook her head. “You’re too much.” She said quietly. But Bucky heard her and gave her a big grin. “If you _insist_ on doing what I’d like to do next…I’d like to go get some food.” She admitted, her stomach growling from hunger pains for the last ten minutes. She and Bucky had visited almost every expo booth and because of that, she ended up staying longer than she had planned on staying– but she had been walking around with Bucky for the last few hours and time seemed to fly by without her even realizing. “There’s a diner that stays open all night just a block away from my apartment…would you like to join me?”

Bucky grinned and nodded his head.

They left the _World Exposition of Tomorrow_ and walked to the diner.

Once they arrived, the diner was deserted. Only one waitress and a cook talking to one another when they walked in. The waitress quickly grabbed her pad and greeted Bucky and AJ, seating them at one of the many open booths.

“I’ll let you to look over the menu, wave at me when you’re ready, yeah?” She asked as she handed over the menus. AJ smiled politely and nodded her head. But the woman didn’t leave, she looked over at Bucky. “Sir, I just want to thank you for your service.” She smiled.

AJ frowned.

For a bit she had almost forgotten that he was leaving in the morning.

“Thank you, ma’am.” Bucky replied, taking off his cap and setting it down next to him. The woman smiled and then walked away.

AJ took in a deep breath as she looked over the menu. She suddenly no longer felt hungry. Only sick to her stomach about Bucky leaving in the morning.

“What time are you set to ship out?” Adelyn asked, keeping her voice even as she kept her eyes on the menu.

“0500.” He told her.

AJ looked down at her watch. It was 11:00 PM.

Six hours until Bucky would have to leave.

He shouldn't be here with her! Bucky should be spending his limited time in the States with his family. “I’m sure you’d like to go spend time with your family.” AJ said and set her menu down and grabbed her purse that was sitting next to her. Bucky stopped her though by grabbing her wrist gently, stopping her from getting out of the booth and leaving.

“I already said my goodbyes to my family.” He assured her.

She frowned, “Well, what about Steve?” AJ asked him, letting him continue to hold her wrist.

“I said goodbye to him too, Jay.” He spoke softly. “Please just…stay with me until I have to leave.” His voice broke a bit, making the begging in his tone more obvious.

AJ closed her eyes but nodded. “I just can’t…see you off.” She managed to get out.

“I understand.” Bucky said, letting go of her wrist. “I wouldn’t ask you to.”

When she saw Frank off, he had asked her to marry him. She moved her hand to her neck, the silver cross he had put on her afterwards no longer hung from her neck. AJ had sent it to Franks mother, saying she knew he’d want her to keep it. Every time AJ would look at herself in the mirror and see the necklace all she felt was guilt.

 _“Whaddaya say?”_ Frank had asked her after proposing.

The imagine of his face when she had told him she couldn’t accept his proposal still haunted her. The absolute heartbreak she saw in his eyes kept her up at night. AJ could hear herself telling Frank she wasn’t ready, that they had only been dating for ten months and she didn’t think she could do it. That it wasn’t his fault – that it was hers and that he deserves who knew what she was feeling, because AJ didn’t know how she truly felt.

Frank had been so kind, silencing her nervous ramblings by settling his hands on her shoulders to spin her around to face him. _“You’re kind of a hard shell to crack, AJ. One that I’m willing to wait for, if you’ll do the same for me. Can you at least do that?”_

She had promised him she’d wait for him and he had grinned so happily that it was almost enough for her to forget the way he looked as she looked over her shoulder at him to tell him she couldn’t marry him.

“You ready?” Bucky asked, breaking her away from her thoughts.

She looked up and saw concern written in his eyes. But he never asked her if she was okay. That’s the thing she liked about Bucky. He knew when and when not to ask her if she was okay or how she was feeling. AJ enjoyed that she could sit in silence with him and just enjoy his presence.

He knew her.

Bucky would never ask her to marry him or even ask her to wait for him.

Because he knew that she wasn’t in a place right now to make that kind of promise.

“Bacon, eggs, and toast.” AJ said with a nod, closing her menu.

Bucky smiled. “I think I’ll have the same.” He closed his menu. AJ waved over the waitress who hurried over to them and took their orders. They both ordered a cup of coffee so that they wouldn’t get too tired. If Bucky really wanted to spent the rest of the time he had left in New York with her? AJ was not going to refuse.

They ate their meal, Bucky teasing AJ about how she put both butter and jam on her toast, to which AJ countered back with how much pepper Bucky put on his eggs.

“I didn’t mean to put that much pepper on my eggs. The damn shaker is broken.” He mumbled, pushing the eggs around. AJ had laughed and waved over the waitress again.

“You two ready for the check?” She asked.

“I was actually wondering if you could bring us two slices of pie?” AJ asked, looking over at Bucky briefly who smiled and pushed his plate forward, probably glad he didn’t have to finish his eggs.

“Sure thing, sweetheart. What kind?” She asked. “We got apple, peach, cherry, blackberry and chocolate cream pie.”

AJ looked back to Bucky. “I don’t think there’s gonna be much chocolate for me to eat while I’m fighting, Jay.” He said, lips trying not to twitch up as he tried to remain serious. “This may be my last chance to have some until the war is over.”

AJ rolled her eyes at that, huffing out a laugh at his dramatics. “Two slices of chocolate cream pie, please.” AJ said to the waitress who chuckled, walking over to the counter and relaying what had just happened to the cook who laughed before going in back to grab their pie. He came out holding two plates and walked over to where Bucky and AJ sat.

“You got yourself a good woman, solider. You better make sure you come home to her.” He said as he set down the plates in front of them, placing two forks down as well. “And don’t worry about the check. It’s on the house.”

“You don’t have to.” Bucky started to say.

“Yes, I know that. But I’m still gonna.” The cook said before he left AJ and Bucky to eat.

Neither mentioned what the cook had said when he had first come to their booth. Instead, they ate their pie together. AJ was too full, not able to finish her slice and Bucky happily reached for her plate and brought it over to his side of the booth and began to eat it.

AJ smiled, biting down on her lower lip as she watched Bucky eat the pie happily.

She hadn’t realized it until just now how badly she missed his presence in her life while she was in Savannah. AJ frowned, thinking that Bucky must have thought she was awful for not writing him back.

“I’m,” She started to say causing Bucky to look up from his pie. “I’m real sorry I didn’t write you back, Bucky.” She apologized.

He shrugged a bit and gave her a kind smile. “It’s okay, Jay.”

“No, it’s not.” She disagreed with him. “I should have written you back – I," She inhaled deeply, "and now,” _now you’re shipping out in a few hours._ “I’m sorry.” She said instead.

Bucky nodded, moving his last piece of pie around his plate. “Can I ask why?” He looked back up at her. “Why you didn’t write back?”

AJ nodded. “I just,” She stopped, pulling her lower lip between her teeth as she tried to come up with a way to explain her actions to Bucky without completely humiliating herself in the process. “Guilt.” She finally said.

Bucky cocked his head to the side and looked to AJ, not understanding.

“Frank had written me before I left for Camp McCoy. I didn’t receive it until I had already been at Camp McCoy for ten days,” She took in a breath before going on. “When I read the letter...I realized then that I wasn’t in love with Frank.” AJ admitted.

“You didn’t write me back because…you felt guilt for not being in love with Frank?” Bucky said back to her slowly. “I don’t,” He stopped when AJ became visibly uncomfortable, seeing now that she didn’t want to continue on with the conversation. So, he just nodded and took his last bite of pie. “How much time we got?” He asked her.

AJ looked down at her watch. 12:30 AM. They had spent the last hour and a half talking, laughing, and eating in the diner. “Four hours and thirty minutes.” She looked back up to Bucky. “What do _you_ want to do?”

He gave her a look, raising his brow at her with a little smirk.

She scoffed; knowing that his mind was filth. “Well, I suggest you better go find Connie for that.” AJ said, balling up her napkin and throwing it directly at Bucky’s forehead. He laughed, grabbing the napkin and holding it in his hand. “I’m serious, Bucky! We’ve done all the things I’ve wanted to do tonight and it’s _your_ last night. Tell me something you want to do before you leave, okay?”

He squinted, pressing his index finger to the dimple on his chin. He then smiled. “I want to sneak into the _World Exposition of Tomorrow_ and sit in Howard Starks flying car.” He grinned, probably thinking that it was impossible.

AJ nodded her and got out of the booth and headed towards the counter.

“Where are you goin’?” Bucky said, shifting to look over at AJ now speaking to the waitress and cook quietly.

“May I use your phone, please?” AJ asked, leaning over the counter a bit. The waitress nodded, motioning for AJ to follow her.

“Jay!” Bucky hollered when AJ followed the woman into the back. She shouted over her shoulder for him to stay put just as he was moving to get out of the booth. AJ chuckled quietly when he sat back down with a defeated sigh.

Once she was in the kitchen and the waitress had left her to give her some privacy, AJ dialed Howard's house, praying that he was there and not in one of the showgirls beds tonight.

 _“Yeah?”_ He answered with a yawn. _“What? Who is this?”_ Howard then grumbled.

“Howard, it’s me. I need a favor.”

 _“AJ?”_ Howard said in confusion. _“You disappeared on me – are you okay?”_ He was more alert now.

“I’m fine.” She assured him. “That car you showed tonight – is it still at the expo?” AJ asked.

_“No, it was taken back to one of my factories in Manhattan.”_

“Get a pen and paper.” AJ ordered him.

 _“What in the hell,”_ He began to grumble again but AJ cut him off.

“Please, Howard.”

He sighed. _“Fine, give me a second.”_ After a moment he came back on the phone. _“I got a pen and paper.”_

AJ gave him the address of the diner they were at and told him to get in his car to pick up her and a _friend_ (she really didn’t want to catch any grief from Howard just yet) and to bring them to his factory. “And hurry, we only have four hours and twenty-three minutes.” AJ said, looking down at her watch.

_“Yeah, yeah, boss. Whatever you say.”_

AJ smiled, liking when Howard Stark called her boss. She knew he was only being sarcastic – but boy did it make her feel good. She hung up with the man and hurried back over to the booth she and Bucky sat at.

Bucky raised his brows at her, waiting for her explain whatever was going on.

She simply smiled and folded her hands together onto the table.

“What are you up to?” He asked.

AJ grinned, shrugging innocently.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Howard hadn’t been too keen on chauffeuring Bucky and AJ around for the rest of the night after he had taken them to one of his factories where the car was still being worked on. He also wasn’t too thrilled when AJ had pulled him aside to try and persuade him to let Bucky sit in the car while it hovered over the ground.

 _“It’s his last night, Howard!”_ AJ had said in a huff when Howard instantly began to shake his head no to her request. _“In fact,”_ She had looked down at her watch to check the time. _“Not even night – it’s his last few hours in the States and I just want him to have a good time!”_

He gave her a look and AJ instantly regretting how she phrased her words, _“There are many other things you could do to show him a good time until he has to leave.”_ Howard had smirked. AJ glared at the man and refused to back down. Howard eventually groaned and called Bucky over to sit in the car.

The way his eyes had lit up while they hovered in the air while sitting in the car was something AJ would never forget. The way his blue eyes grew large and how his grin looked like a child’s smile on Christmas morning. She had laughed, wishing she could capture the moment so she could keep it with her forever.

They drove around for the next few hours, Howard still mumbling about how he was not a chauffeur and AJ would tease him from the backseat next to Bucky. Eventually Howard drowned AJ out by turning on the radio, bringing the conversation to a halt as they all listened to the soft lulling voice of Dick Haymes.

Somehow, though AJ swore she wouldn’t see him off, they ended up at the same docks she had said goodbye to Frank on. They had stopped by Bucky’s apartment where he grabbed his bag after AJ suggested that Howard might as well drive him to the docks given the time.

 _“Are you sure?”_ Bucky had asked her.

AJ nodded with a sad smile.

 _“I suppose I don’t get a say in this?”_ Howard piped in from the front seat.

So here they were, sitting still in the backseat watching as soldiers said goodbye to their loved ones. They sat there, completely still in that moment as they watched everyone outside until Howard opened the door, stepping out of the car only to stick his head back in briefly and said. “I’m just going to stretch my legs…give you kids a moment.” He winked at AJ and she had to close her eyes in embarrassment.

She chuckled, biting down on her lip as she shook her head. “I apologize about Howard. He’s not exactly,”

“-Subtle?” Bucky suggested with a little chuckle as well.

AJ looked back up at Bucky, “I was going to say _mature._ ” She smiled. He was looking down at her with the same smile. AJ looked away and tucked her hair behind her ears. “You should get going. You don’t want to miss your ride.” She teased.

She could still feel Bucky’s eyes on her, but she didn’t have the courage or strength to look back at him. “Thank you.” He finally spoke. She did not want to, but AJ finally looked back up at him after he had thanked her. “For letting me spend my last night here with ya, Jay.”

“Of course.” She replied, her voice small.

Upon hearing the shouts of some of the nurses, Bucky looked away from AJ and out the window. She heard him sigh before turning back to face her. “I should get going.” He said what she had moment earlier. He opened his door and got out.

AJ had sworn that she would not step foot on those docks again – she would not say goodbye to Bucky the way she had Frank. And somehow Bucky knew that, even though she had never said it out loud. Bucky didn’t look back at her after he shut the car door behind him, going around the car to grab his bag from the back. AJ closed her eyes, keeping her head down when she heard the trunk shut closed. “Can I ask you a favor?” She looked up and saw Bucky was still there, now leaning down to look in the car.

AJ nodded. “Yes.” She answered without hesitation. 

“If I write to you while I’m overseas…will you write me back?” He asked, his voice small but hopeful.

AJ had to laugh a bit, “Yes.” She agreed.

He let out a sigh of relief that made AJ feel warm. He then looked back at her after looking down for a moment. “Now, don’t go fallin’ in love with Steve while I’m gone.” He grinned.

“I make no promises.” AJ grinned back at him.

He took in a deep breath and forced a smile. “I’ll be seein’ ya, Frosty.”

She nodded and forced herself to smile as well. AJ couldn’t open her mouth to speak, because if she did, the tears would appear in her eyes and she knew that they wouldn’t go away for a few days. Bucky gave her a little wave and then moved, shutting the door and took a few steps backwards, still looking at her in the car. One last sad smile and then he turned his back and headed to where all the other solider were gathered up.

AJ closed her eyes, resting her forehead against her palms.

Before she could talk herself out of it, she was opening up the door Bucky had just closed and hurrying after him. “Bucky!” She shouted, stopping to look around where she had last seen him. She felt her eyes swell with tears when she saw that he was nowhere in sight. AJ's lower lip trembled as she took in a deep breath to try and calm herself.

_He was gone._

She closed her eyes and let a single tear roll down her cheek.

“Adelyn!”

AJ opened her eyes and spotted Bucky coming towards her. She breathed out in relief and began to run in his direction, not caring that she probably looked like a mad woman. When she reached him, she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight, hiding her face against his shoulder, her tears wetting it in the process.

Bucky held her back just as tight as she held onto him. His face moving to the crook of her neck, staying there for quite some time smothered against her dark brown hair. When her grip on the back of his uniform finally loosened, the two slowly parted from the other.

She looked up to him, wiping away a few stray tears in the process, watching as his eyes grew watery as well.

AJ closed her eyes and shook her head before she said what she needed to say. “I already lost one good man to this war, Bucky, please,” She stopped and looked back up at him. _Please don’t die? Please be smart? Please don’t always do the brave thing? Please come home?_ AJ took in a deep breath. “Just…be safe.”

Bucky pressed his hand to her cheek, his thumb wiping away another tear. “Always.” He promised.

They hugged one more time, Bucky pressing a lingering kiss to her hair in the process. The soldiers were now boarding the ship and AJ found herself gripping onto his uniform tighter as the people around them slowly went their separate ways.

“Thank you,” He whispered against her hair. She nodded, still holding onto him.

 _You need to let go,_ she told herself.

Bucky pressed another kiss to her head and then let go of her, moving backwards taking one last look at her before he stood up straight and brought his right arm up straight and raised his hand to his brow, saluting her.

AJ smiled, saluting him back in a less formal way. She simply raised her hand to her brow as she bent her head to the side, saluting him back.

Bucky gave her a big grin before he turned his back and headed towards the ship.

AJ stood on the dock waiting until Bucky boarded the ship and then waited until the ship set sail and once the ship was only a blur of a dot, she walked back to where the car was parked. Howard was leaning against the car, his expression that of empathy, not pity. AJ looked over her shoulder one more time and could no longer see the boat. And in that moment, AJ, who was not overly religious, found herself praying to God that she’d see James Barnes again.

Howard slung his arm over her shoulder when she walked over to him, he helped her into the front seat and then got into the driver’s side. “Where to, Miss?” He asked, trying to lighten the mood.

It worked. AJ let out a huff of a laugh and told Howard Stark, inventor, engineer, multi-millionaire business man, turned reluctant chauffer; “Home, please.”

AJ let her head rest against the window as Howard drove her home, closing her eyes and slowly fell asleep. The last thing she heard in her mind before falling asleep completely was Bucky's voice telling her;

_I’ll be seeing ya, Frosty._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you guys hate me for that last part? I blame [TheOCArchitect](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheOCArchitect/pseuds/TheOCArchitect) because she is my partner in evil! So, blame her too.


	18. seventeen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [AJ FROST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35550753)   
>  [OC MASTERLIST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35551293)

 

* * *

 

 

**June 15, 1943**

Camp Lehigh, New Jersey

 

 

 

“You are awfully quiet.” Dr. Erskine observed. AJ kept her eyes focused on the line of men outside that were speaking with Colonel Phillips and Agent Carter. There, amongst the men, was someone very dear to AJ. And she didn’t quite know how to feel about that.

Steve Rogers had heart, he had courage, he was brave.

But...he was _Steve._

Initially when AJ had seen his name on the list of recruits Abraham brought in, she had felt a mixture of confusion and downright fury. Steve did not belong on a battlefield. And not because of his health or how small he was – it was because he cared too much. He would risk his life to save someone else’s without giving it a second thought.

 _That’s what we need,_ Dr. Erskine had reminded AJ.

But why did it have to be Steve?

“I’m not in the mood to talk.” AJ replied as she kept her eyes on Steve.

They hadn’t spoken yet but that was mostly because Steve didn’t know that AJ was at Camp Lehigh since she had never shared with him her involvement with the S.S.R. In fact, Steve still believed she was working on a polio vaccine.

He wouldn’t be happy with her.

But she wasn’t exactly happy with him either.

AJ looked past Steve and saw Russell Caldwell in line with the candidates. He stood up straight his eyes forward as Agent Carter addressed them all. AJ had even seen Russell break into a smile when Peggy punched one of the candidates right in the nose. AJ had also smiled at that, too.

Being at Camp Lehigh was almost cathartic to AJ. Thankfully she would be working the entire week running tests in the labs with Howard and Dr. Erskine. She had also been scheduled to run a physical on each candidate at the end of every day until one of them was picked for Project Rebirth. It would keep her mind off of losing Frank or…well, _Bucky._

Only a couple hours ago, AJ had been standing on the docks with Bucky saying goodbye to the solider. Now she was standing in New Jersey watching as his best friend competed as a candidate for Project Rebirth, something that would not just alter Steve physically but would change his entire life.

 _If_ he was chosen.

Five people would be making the final decision.

Dr. Erskine, Colonel Phillips, Agent Carter, Howard Stark and…well, _her._

All AJ wanted to do was protect Steve from this war not throw him in the chaos of it!

“There are many candidates,” Dr. Erskine said causing AJ to break away from her worries. She looked to him and raised her brow slightly. It was as if he had been reading her mind about worrying about Steve being a candidate. That or she had been thinking out loud. “No need to worry just yet, Adelyn.”

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

The next few days were grueling for them all. AJ kept herself busy in the lab and only ever left the building to run a physical on each candidate after the end of each day and though she wouldn't have minded sleeping in her office, she did leave the lab each night to her sleeping quarters.

Steve had definitely been surprised to see AJ when he came in for his physical. The way his mouth hung open and his eyes grew large in shock might have been funny on different circumstances.

 _“How – you’re, I, Jay, what are you doing here?”_ His words had all stumbled out.

 _“Currently?”_ AJ had tried to keep the moment light. _“I’m about to give you your first physical to compare your vitals to the other candidates for Project Rebirth.”_

 _“You…”_ Steve seemed as though he did not want to put the puzzle pieces together she was handing him. He then furrowed his brows at her and his eyes narrowed in a glare. _“-You said that you were working on a polio vaccine with Howard Stark – not **this**!” _

AJ had cut him off with a sharp look, _“And you said that you were visiting family in Philly for the week.”_ She had sniped. _“Now unbutton your shirt, I need to listen to your heart.”_

Steve hadn't argued with AJ, he only followed her orders.

AJ listened to his heart and noted that it sounded a tad bit irregular compared to the other candidates she had examined earlier today. She needed to be objective while analyzing everyone - especially with Steve. AJ couldn’t be critical just because she was scared for Steve.

 

 

 _Asthma_  
_Scarlet Fever_  
_Rheumatic Fever_  
_Sinusitis_  
_Chronic or frequent colds_  
_High blood pressure_  
_Palpitations or pounding in heart_  
_Easy fatigability_  
_Heart trouble_

 

 

 

The list of Steve’s health issues in his file went on and on and she couldn't help but shake her head as she read each one. How could Dr. Erskine look through Steve’s file and think this was a good idea? How could he think that Steve would be a good candidate for Project Rebirth? If Steve’s body couldn't handle the serum or the Vita Radiation from Howard's chamber his heart would give out and he would die. Dr. Erskine must know what a giant risk he was taking for even allowing Steve to be a candidate.

But AJ also knew Steve.

He had the biggest heart of any person she had ever met.

Tiny but mighty.

He was brave. _So_ brave. And the kid had such courage.

Why _wouldn’t_ Dr. Erskine pick Steve to be a candidate?

He was exactly the kind of soldier that the doctor had in mind while creating the serum.

AJ understood his reasoning. She just didn’t like it.

She had been upset and angry and scared because Steve was her best friend. But he wanted this. Who was she to discourage him?

“He did not,” AJ laughed, pressing the diaphragm of her stethoscope to Russell Caldwell’s back as he told her what Steve had done today during drills.

“I swear it,” He laughed. “The kid is small, that’s for sure. But he’s damn smart.” Russell went on. “Every single one of his tried to climb up that pole to reach the flag but couldn’t. And then Rogers shows us all up by pulling the pin out from the bottom of the pole so it’d fall over and he could just…grab the flag.”

AJ chuckled, shaking her head lightly. “Yeah, that sounds like Steve.” She agreed while feeling pride for Steve in that moment. “Stubborn and a bit of a smartass.”

Russell laughed again as AJ moved around his body to press the diaphragm to his chest now. “I wouldn’t call him an ass. Just smart.” He told AJ. “I think he’ll beat us all for the spot.” AJ visibly frowned and Russell seemed to have noticed her lips twitching downward. “What? Is there somethin’ wrong with my ticker?”

“No,” AJ told Russell as she took off her stethoscope. “You’re as healthy as can be.”

AJ began to write in his file while Russell buttoned his shirt back up only to look over her shoulder when the man cleared his throat to gain her attention.

She turned around to face him, holding his file in her hands. “You hear from Bucky?” Russell asked her. “I know you two both went off to Brooklyn, figured you might keep in touch.”

She forced a smile and nodded her head. “He shipped out a few days ago.” AJ said and opened up his file so that she could distract herself and not have to look Russell in the eyes while he asked her more questions about Bucky.

“England?”

She nodded again as she read over the same line in Russell's file for the sixth time .

“And how about that guy of yours? How’s he doin’?”

Her silence was answer enough to Russell. She didn’t have to vocalize that Frank had died to Russell seeing as the atmosphere of the room changed significantly after Russell brought Frank up. In fact, it almost felt as though the air in the room had gone cold for a bit.

“Oh, AJ, I’m real sorry.” He apologized.

“Will you send the next person in, please?” AJ asked still not meeting his eyes. 

He sighed. “Yes ma’am.”

AJ let her shoulders slouch as she dropped her head while waiting for the next person to come in.

She didn’t want to talk about Frank Jackson because all she felt when she thought about him was absolute guilt.

The door closed and AJ took in a quick breath to try and regain composure.  “Unbutton, please.” She instructed only to look up and see Steve.

They hadn’t said much to one another since the very first day. Steve had been hurt that AJ had lied to him and AJ was equally upset that Steve was willing to risk his life to be a part of Project Rebirth. She was mad and he had been hurt so they didn't speak. But now, in this moment, Steve was only being silent to give her space. Well, that’s what AJ chose to believe.

Steve nodded and headed over to the medical bench as he unbuttoned his army regulated uniform. AJ walked over to him and instructed him to take a deep breath as she pressed the diaphragm to his back. He did as she told him and inhaled deeply.

“Exhale.” His exhale sounded more like a sad sigh to AJ and she couldn't help but frown as she removed the diaphragm from his back and quickly wrote his vitals down in his file. "So, I hear you outsmarted Sergeant Duffy today.” AJ said as she stepped around Steve to look at him.

He chuckled a bit, closing his eyes as he smiled.

She moved to press the diaphragm to his chest and Steve flinched slightly causing her to pull it back. “Too cold?”

“I’ll be fine.” He sat up a bit more in defiance, almost sounding bitter that she had even asked him that question. AJ frowned but pressed the device back to his chest to listen to his heart. “Can I ask you something, Jay?”

AJ didn't speak but she nodded her head she she counted each heartbeat. 

“Why are you so mad I’m here?" He asked causing her to look him in his sad blue eyes and she quickly looked away upon seeing the sadness. "Is it because you don’t think I’m a good enough candidate?” Steve asked next in a whisper.

She sighed and removed her stethoscope from Steve's chest. “No, that’s not it.”

“So what is it then?” Steve made his voice sterner. “Why are you so mad that I’m here that you can barely look me in the eyes on the off chance that you are actually speaking to me? Because I can’t think of any other reason other than you think I’m not fit for the job.”

AJ looked up at him sharply and glared. “-I’m mad because you’re the perfect candidate, Steve!” AJ let out her anger when she interrupted Steve. “God, I'm not even mad! I’m _scared!_ " She yelled, "I don’t want to lose anyone else that I care about and if you are picked,” She stopped herself and had to take in a deep breath to calm down.  Once her breathing was regular, AJ focused on Steve again. “There are risks that come with Project Rebirth that  _I_ am not willing to let you take.”

Her eyes met his while he frowned. “That’s not your choice to make, Jay.” He reminded her in a soft tone. “It’s mine.”

But it was partially her choice...

She was one of the five people to make the decision.

AJ closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Steve, I don’t think you’re the wrong candidate.” She admitted. “I think you’re the perfect candidate. And that really scares me because if something were to go wrong-”

“I trust you, AJ.” Steve told her, cutting her off. “I trust that nothing will go wrong because I trust your work.”

_Damn you, Steve._

She had to tilt her head at his words, shaking her head in disbelief that he was trying to flatter her in that moment. “You make it hard for a girl to stay mad at you, Steve.” AJ said with a soft smile. Steve grinned at her and AJ threw his shirt back at him. “Now, tell me all about how you out-smarted all of the other soldiers because I would like to know firsthand what was going through your head.” She teased him.

Steve laughed and then told AJ everything that had happened earlier today and everything that had been happening since he first arrived at Camp Lehigh. It was good to be talking to Steve again.

But it didn’t make her any less worried about his well-being.

 

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

  

 

It was time for all of them to vote.

Colonel Phillips had been AJ’s only ally when it came to finding another cadet for the super soldier serum as the final days ticked down. It was Agent Carter and Dr. Erskine who saw the most potential in Steve Rogers. Howard hadn’t even bothered to come out to New Jersey to see the recruits himself, instead, he had AJ, Carter, Phillips, and Erskine send all the information they gathered on each candidate to him and so that he would make his decision based off of their analysis.

The votes all had to be unanimous. They couldn’t have three votes for Steve and two for Russell Caldwell and then go with whoever had the most votes - it needed to be a decision they all made together.

AJ _really_ wanted to protect Steve but the more she saw him out in the field, and as worried as it made her, the more she began to see what she had been trying to ignore for the sake of his own safety.

He was perfect.

There couldn’t be a better person fit to do this.

_Small but mighty._

And then Colonel Phillips finally witnessed what everyone else had been seeing as well. Phillip had thrown a grenade at the candidates while they were training and the colonel expected his own pick for Project Rebirth; Hodge, to pass the little test he had planned, like his candidate had passed every test so far. But each soldier ran away from the grenade, including Hodge.

But not Steve Rogers. The damn kid had thrown himself on top of the grenade and yelled for everyone to get back so that he could take the impact of the blow in hopes that no one else would get hurt.

It was reckless, _absolutely_ stupid, and AJ was sure if Bucky had witnessed it he would have had a heart attack, but…to the people who knew Steve? It wasn’t surprising.

 _“Is this a test?”_ Steve had asked when realizing the grenade was a dud. He looked to Agent Carter who stared down at him, marveling at his braveness. And then Steve looked to AJ who, as mad as she tried to stay, couldn’t help it when her lips twitched upwards at Steve.

“Carter,” Colonel Phillips looked to the British woman. “Your vote?”

She didn’t even hesitate. “Steve Rogers.”

“Erskine?”

“Rogers.”

Phillips then looked to AJ. “Frost?”

Every single rational part of AJ screamed at her not to say his name so that she could keep him safe back in Brooklyn and far away from the evils of the world. But she needed to be objective and she needed to refrain from being biased in her decision.

AJ closed her eyes for a moment and replayed what had happened earlier out on the field. How Steve had willingly thrown himself on top of the grenade to protect everyone in the camp and how when Agent Carter had run over to him, he had shouted to stay back because the safety of everyone else was more important to him than his own life.

They needed someone who would make those kinds of decisions in a split second. Not run away and hide.

She opened her eyes and looked to Colonel Phillips.

“Steve Rogers.” Adelyn answered with not doubt or regret in her voice.  _He was the right choice._

Phillips nodded and then turned to Howard.

“Rogers.” Howard said without the Colonel even asking. But he made sure to look at AJ and gave her a reassuring smile, letting her know that she had made the right choice. “Now how ‘bout you, Colonel?” Howard asked as he looked back to Phillips.

The man rolled his eyes and sighed. “Well, might as well make it unanimous.”

_Steve Rogers._

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

  

**June 21 st, 1943**

Steve

 

 

 

 

 

Steve sat on a cot in the room he had been sharing with all the other candidates. It was now full of empty beds.

All the soldiers were all gone.

He was the only one left.

 _He,_ Steven Grant Rogers, had been picked for the super soldier serum. Never in his life had he ever dreamed of something like this happening. Good things didn’t happen to Steve - the only good thing to ever come into his life was Bucky. And recently; Adelyn Frost.

She had voted for him.

Even after being so adamant that she did not want him to be part of Project Rebirth, AJ had still voted for him. When they had announced that Steve had been chosen he had looked over at AJ in shock.

AJ hadn’t looked at him and instead kept her gaze focused on Colonel Phillips as he spoke to the other soldiers. He had watched her go over to one of the other candidates, touching his arm gently as they spoke quietly. The solider had given her a sad smile and nodded before leaving her standing alone.

That was when Steve walked up to her.

 _"You voted for me?”_ Steve said in surprise.

She had sighed when she looked over at him. _“Yes.”_

 _“Why?”_ He was dumb-founded.

 _“I’ve been working on this project for the last two years.”_ AJ told him. _“Most of my life was consumed by it. I had to look for the right candidate while perfecting the serum and all the while the best candidate was right under my nose the entire time.”_ She had sighed and shook her head a little. _“Steve, I voted for you because even though it scares me, I know with every single part of me that you are the person for this. You are brave, you put others before yourself, and you risk your own safety to protect people. You are loyal, you are kind, and you have the biggest heart I have ever seen. I didn’t vote based on who out of you all was the strongest, or could run a mile in less than three minutes time – I voted for the person who I would want standing next to me when the world goes to shit and I have complete faith and trust that that person is you, Steve.”_

Steve had smiled at that and AJ had rolled her eyes.

_“Yeah, yeah, I know. Language.”_

There was a knock on the door causing Steve to look over his shoulder towards the sound. “May I?” Dr. Erskine had come into the room.

“Yeah,” He said, setting down the book he had been trying to read for the last two hours but couldn’t clear his mind enough to concentrate on the words on the page.

“Can’t sleep?” Dr. Erskine asked as he walked over to the cot next to Steve and set down a glass on the little table near the bed while pulling out a bottle of alcohol from his coat pocket.

“I got jitters, I guess.” Steve admitted.

Dr. Erskine laughed. “Me, too.”

“Can I ask you a question?” Steve said as Erskine sat down in front of him.

“Just one?” The scientist faced him.

“Why me?” He asked.

Steve had gotten his answer from AJ but Steve still couldn’t quite believe that any other sane person would have chosen him. The man was a scientist, he was rational - not that AJ wasn’t. But Steve wanted to hear it from someone who was not biased.

“I suppose that is the only question that matters.” Abraham said as he looked down at the bottle of schnapps he had brought with him. “This is for Augsburg.” He said after a moment, looking back at Steve. “My city.” He waited a moment before continuing on. “So many people forget that the first country the Nazi’s invaded was their own.” He reminded Steve. “You know, after the last war, the…my people struggled. They…they felt weak. They felt so small. And then Hitler comes along with the marching, and the big show, and the flags, and the…and the,” He waved his hand in the air, not wanting to do the Nazi salute. “And he…he hears of me, of my work and he finds me and he says, _‘You’,_ he says, _‘You will make us strong.’_ ” Abraham went on. “Well, I am not interested. So he sends the head of Hydra, his division; a brilliant scientist by the name of Johann Schmidt."

Abraham had set the bottle of schnapps down on the ground and fixed his glasses, pushing them up more as he continued to tell Steve his tale.

“Now, Schmidt is a member of the inner circle and he’s ambitious. He and Hitler share a passion for occult power and Teutonic myth. Hitler uses his fantasies to inspire his followers, but for Schmidt, it is not a fantasy. For him, it is real. He has become convinced that there is a great power hidden in the earth, left her by the Gods, waiting to be seized by a superior man. So, when he hears about my formula and what it can do…he cannot resist. Schmidt must become that superior man.”

“Did it make him stronger?” Steve asked.

“Yeah,” Abraham sounded half amused, half scared. “But, there were other effects. The serum was not ready. But more important; the man.” He stressed. “The serum amplifies everything that is inside. So, good becomes great. Bad…becomes worse.” Steve frowned. “This is why you were chosen.” Dr. Erskine told Steve. “Because a strong man, who has known power all his life, will lose respect for that power. But a weak man knows the value of strength, and knows _compassion_.”

“Thanks,” Steve looked back up at Dr. Erskine, “I think?” He smiled.

Abraham smiled and reached for the bottle of schnapps and motioned for Steve to pick up the two glasses on the table near him. “Whatever happens tomorrow, you must promise me one thing.” He poured the schnapps in the glasses Steve held onto. “That you will stay who you are. Not a perfect solider…but,” He pointed to Steve’s heart. “-a _good_ man.”

Steve smiled, holding up his glass to toast. “To the little guys.”

Dr. Erskine chuckled and raised his glass as well, bringing it to his lips and then stopped, reaching out and near knocking the glass of schnapps out of Steve’s hand. “No, no! Wait! What am I doing? No! You have a procedure tomorrow.” He took Steve’s glass from him. “No fluids.” And then poured Steve’s drink into his own.

“Alright,” Steve nodded his head. “We’ll drink it after.”

Dr. Erskine made a face. “No!” He said. “ _I_ don’t have a procedure tomorrow. Drink it after? Drink it now!” He swallowed the drink.

Steve smiled as he watched him, completely amused by the scientist, and moved by his words.

He would make him proud. He’d make AJ proud. He would make them _all_ proud.

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

  

**June 22, 1943**

**Brooklyn, New York**

Adelyn

 

 

 

 

She had arrived early with Howard to make sure everything was as it should be. Her heart was pounding a mile per minute each time she looked up at the clock on the wall knowing that soon Steve would be here. AJ had to remind herself that if anything went wrong, she was one of the people in charge of shutting it down. If she felt in her gut that Steve could not take it – she’d be the one to order Howard to stop.

And Howard knew not to question her gut instincts. The man had learned that early on.

“How ya feelin’, kid?” Howard asked as he looked over at AJ who was now leaning against the railing while they waited for Agent Carter to arrive with Steve.

“Like I’m gonna hurl up my breakfast.” AJ remarked causing Howard to laugh. “This is not funny, Howard!” The woman glared at him. “If we made any mis-calculation, if this chamber is not perfect,”

“Hey, the chamber _is_ perfect!” Howard cut her off. “And we’ve gone over the math too many times for me to even count. Everything is gonna be fine.” He tried to assure her only to sigh when AJ didn’t relax. “Look,” Howard walked over to where AJ was and leaned against the railing next to her. “I know you got a soft spot for the kid, Frost. But if I didn’t think the chamber was ready or that the serum was wrong – I wouldn’t allow this to happen. But everything is _fine,_ Jay. Rogers will be fine. He’ll be better than fine! In fact, your solider over-seas may have some competition for your affection.”

AJ rolled her eyes and jabbed Howard in his side with her elbow. “Hush.”

Howard chuckled and they stood in silence for a moment. “You hear from him yet?”

“It’s only been a week.” AJ told Howard. But saying the words out loud was also a way to reassure herself, too, a little.

“You care about him a lot, don’t ya?” Howard took a step so he was standing in front of AJ.

She rolled her eyes dramatically at Howard. “He is a _friend._ ” AJ stressed.

Howard made a face, clearing not buying AJ’s words. “I’m sure that’s what you tell yourself at night.”

AJ moved her hand up to punch Howard's arm but stopped when the room grew silent. She and Howard both looked to the top of the stair case to see Agent Carter standing with Steve. Peggy then walked down the stair to where AJ and Howard were standing. “Do I have to separate you two?” She asked them both.

“No, ma’am.” Howard answered but AJ talked over him.

“Yes, please. Get him far, _far_ away from me.” AJ smirked at Howard. She then walked over to Steve and pressed her hands to his shoulders. “Are you sure about this?” He nodded. “Because for any reason if it’s too much for you just tell us to stop, okay? If anything feels wrong just shout and we’ll stop.”

Steve smiled and shook his head, “Jay,” He stopped her. “I’ll be good.”

AJ took in a deep breath and let Steve go. In that moment, AJ was sure that she was more nervous than Steve was.

When Steve had undressed and finally laid down in the chamber AJ looked over to Agent Carter who gave her a reassuring smile.

“Mr. Stark, how are your levels?” Dr. Erskine asked.

AJ watched as Howard walked up to the chamber. “Levels at 100%” Howard answered.

“Good.” Abraham replied.

“We may dim half the lights in Brooklyn, but we are ready as we’ll ever be.” Howard stood next to the scientist now while AJ stayed a little bit behind.

Dr. Erskine then looked to Peggy. “Agent Carter? Don’t you think you would be more comfortable in the booth.”

“Oh, yes. of course, sorry.” Peggy said before she left, taking one last look back at Steve before heading up the stairs.

Erskine then looked to AJ. “I’m fine.” She told him quickly, not even allowing him the chance to ask if she’d rather not be in the room. AJ walked over to Steve, looking down at him as Dr. Erskine addressed everybody. “You’re going to feel a pinch at first.” She began to explain to Steve. “And, it will burn once it’s in your muscular system. The injections will cause cellular change  _immediately_ so you will feel quite a lot of pain.”

Steve nodded his head as he took in all of her words.

AJ, with help from some of the nurses, got each vial of the serum, leaving only one behind. She tried to keep her mind busy by making sure everything that had to deal with getting the serum was administered correctly which meant taken some vials herself to the container so that they would be put in properly.

Dr. Erskine went over to where AJ was standing over Steve and handed over the penicillin. She cleaned his arm carefully with alcohol and then injected the medicine. Steve kept his eyes closed and his face pinched together as the needle entered his skin and the penicillin was injected.

“That wasn’t so bad,” Steve said when AJ was done.

She couldn’t help but let out a little laugh at that while shaking her head at Steve.

“That was the penicillin.” Dr. Erskine told Steve before turning back to the people who were observing the procedure up in the booth. “Serum infusion beginning in five, four, three, two,” He looked over to AJ and then said, “One.”

The serum was injected into Steve’s body and AJ took a step back when Steve’s closed eyes flew open and she saw nothing but pure fear in them.

“Now, Mr. Stark.” Erskine ordered him. AJ looked over at Howard and watched him lower the leaver causing the chamber to move upright and enclose Steve inside.

AJ and Dr. Erskine both moved over to the now closed chamber. Abraham began to knock. “Steven…can you hear me?” He asked.

Steve didn’t answer.

AJ took in a deep breath before she knocked lightly on the door. “Steve…are you okay?”

Steve answered. “It’s probably too late to go to the bathroom, right?”

Both she and Dr. Erskine shared look as they both smiled. Only Steve Rogers would be trying to make someone laugh in this kind of situation.

Abraham looked over to Howard. “We will proceed.” He and AJ both stepped back away from the pod.

AJ put on the glasses Howard had given her when she first arrived, shielding her eyes from the bright light as Stark began to manage the controls. “That’s ten percent.” Howard said, keeping an eye on the chamber. “Twenty percent. Thirty.” The vita rays grew unbearably bright. “That’s forty percent.”

“Vital signs are normal.” One of the doctors said and Howard continued.

“That’s fifty percent. Sixty. Seventy.”

Screaming.

Gut wrenching screaming coming from inside the pod caused them all to look at each other in fear as Steve continued to scream while receiving the vita rays.

AJ stood frozen in place as Dr. Erskine ran over to the chamber. “Steven!” He shouted.

“Shut it down!” AJ looked up when she saw Carter was out of the observation booth, screaming at them all to stop.

“Steven!” Erskine yelled again, knocking on the chamber door.

“Shut it down!” Agent Carter said again.

“Kill the reactor, Mr. Stark!” Abraham ran forward and moved past AJ who quickly climbed up the stool where Dr. Erskine had just been standing. “Turn it off!” Erskine yelled.

“Steve, can you hear me?” She shouted, hoping Steve could hear her over the shouts of Erskine and Carter. “Can you hear me, Steve?”

Her gut wasn’t telling her to stop. It was telling her to keep going. And that scared her. If she could only see Steve – if she saw his face she’d know what to do.

“Kill the reactor!” Erskine yelled at Howard.

“NO!”

They all heard Steve yelled from the pod.

“Don’t!” He yelled next. “I can do this!”

AJ took in a shaky breath and stepped down and away from the chamber. It was Howard that looked to AJ though for confirmation. “Do it!” She ordered him.

Stark went back to the reactors controls and continued to turn it. “Eighty. Ninety.” AJ moved her hand to shield her eyes from the bright light. “That’s 100%!”

Everything had started to overload, each machine bursting with sparks and smoke until the reactor closed itself down. They all stood there looking at the chamber almost in disbelief at what had just happened. It wasn’t until Erskine yelled at Howard to open it that everyone started getting back to the job they were assigned.

The doors opened and Steve was now completely transformed into a super-soldier. AJ's eyes widened as she took all of him in. She didn’t blink until Erskine was calling her over to help Steve get out.

“Steven,” Erskine said quietly as he and AJ helped Steve out of the pod. The entire time AJ had to keep looking up at Steve in absolute disbelief. _It had worked!_ The serum worked! “Steven,” Erskine said again. Howard now helped Steve out as well as AJ moved to stand in front of Steve to make sure he didn’t fall forward. But a fat lot of good that would do. If Steve fell forward right now he would topple her.

Steve began to mumble quietly. “I did it.”

“Yeah, yeah. I think we did it.” Dr. Erskine agreed.

“Steve, hey, open your eyes for me, okay?” AJ instructed him. He did and looked straight forward trying to look for her but probably only saw the top of her head. “Down here, big guy.” She teased and his eyes widened when he saw that he was looking at her from above.

“You’re shorter than me.” He commented causing AJ to let out a laugh.

She smiled while covering her mouth with her hand. “It worked.” She said happily and then looked over at Howard.

“We actually did it.” Howard said in just as much disbelief as AJ had been.

AJ stepped out of the way when Agent Carter walked over to Steve, now standing in front of him. “How do you feel?” She asked Steve.

Steve was breathing hard, “Taller.”

Carter nodded her head and reached out her hand out, touching Steve’s pecs momentarily only to quickly recoil her hand. AJ smirked at her when Peggy looked over to her while grabbing the shirt she had brought for Steve.

“You look taller.” Peggy agreed while helping Steve with his shirt.

As everyone began to shake the others hands, AJ leaped forward at Erskine and wrapped her arms around him in a hug. He laughed while hugging her back. She pulled away and looked him in the eyes only to see him looking away from her after being completely distracted by someone else. AJ turned her head in the direction of where Erskine was looking when she saw his eyes widened but soon ducked her head after an explosion in the observation booth went off.

Dr. Erskine had pushed her down to the ground and shouted, “Stop him!” Just as AJ saw a man steal the last vile of serum. And then the sound of a gun going off caused a woman to scream loudly and AJ watched as Dr. Abraham Erskine dropped on the ground.

“No, no, no, no!” AJ moved up and pressed her hands down hard on his chest wound to try and stop the bleeding. She could hear more gunshots going off around her but didn’t care. AJ needed to save Erskine, she needed to save the man who had quickly become her mentor. She  _had_ to save him. “Stay with me, okay?” AJ instructed him. “We’re gonna get you fixed up, just stay.” She stressed the word. “You can’t die!”

Steve was next to her and AJ watched as Abraham's eyes drifted from hers to Steve’s. He raised his hand and pointed at Steve’s chest, jabbing him right where his heart would be. His hand fell limply to the ground and AJ watched as Dr. Abraham Erskine closed his eyes for the very last time.

It was Howard who managed to pull her away from Abraham's body. Her hands were covered in his blood, “Someone gets some towels, please!” He shouted. AJ looked to where Steve had been moments earlier only to just now realize that he was nowhere in sight.

He was going after the man who had shot Erskine.

There was no doubt in her mind about that.

The sound of people around her slowly became a whisper until she heard nothing at all and the faces of all the people who tried to talk to her was just a blur. 

AJ didn’t know how long she had been sitting but the room started to clear out and the only people left were Howard and Phillips. AJ blinked and she could see now that Steve and Peggy were now in the room, too.

“Blood.” She told them.

“It’s cleaned up.” Howard said as AJ stood, grabbing her hands to make sure she stayed upright. She yanked away from Howard.

“No,” AJ shook her head and then looked to Steve. “We need his blood.” She explained herself. “I only ever worked on half of the serum. Without Abraham,” She shook her head. “He never wrote it down because he was afraid someone might take it, _steal_ it, he kept it in his head. We only ever worked together while the serum was perfected. Even with some of the things I do know, it won’t be enough. We need his blood!” She now shouted, her anger getting the best of her. “The program is locked in his genetic code – without his blood, we cannot create more super soldiers, it’ll take years! Decades!”

“Jay,” Steve said softly as he slowly walked over to where AJ was now pacing. “Jay, Adelyn!” He stood in front of her and finally got her attention by grabbing her by the shoulders. “Just stop moving for a sec!”

“No!” She yelled at him. “No, this is Abraham's legacy! This is – this is what he has been working on for years! We can’t – we can’t just let his work,” AJ sucked in air. “It would be disrespectful!”

Steve nodded. “I know,” He agreed with her. “I know.”

AJ finally looked him in the eyes and saw that they were red with tears too. She felt her lower lip begin to quiver and when Steve moved forward to pull her into his arms she pushed her hands against his chest and took a step away. “I’m not doing this.” AJ told him and then walked away.

Adelyn Frost would not cry.

She would do her job.

And her job wasn’t _just_ to recreate the serum to honor Erskine.

AJ swore to herself that day that she would not let Hydra get away with this.

She would take every single one of them down.

She would avenge Abraham.

Even if it killed her.


	19. eighteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [AJ FROST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35550753)   
>  [OC MASTERLIST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35551293)

 

 

* * *

 

 

**June 23, 1943**

 

 

 

 

It had only been a day after Dr. Abraham Erskine had been murdered in front of all of them. Barely even twenty-four hours before Colonel Phillips had received orders to send the SSR to London to directly fight HYDRA. Peggy Carter, Howard Stark, and Adelyn Frost were all made part of his team and were on a plane now accompanying Phillips to England.

AJ sighed as pushed her hair behind her ears and listened to Phillips speak with Carter who was angrily arguing with the man about the fact that they had left Steve to go on a morale boosting tour of the US as _Captain America._

AJ hadn’t argued with Phillips about Steve not being allowed to join them. Colonel Phillips was furious – he wanted an army and he only got one man. An _experiment,_ he called Steve. Normally AJ would be quick to defend her friend but after having to literally wash the blood of Erskine off of her hands? Steve would be safe back in the states.

And that’s what she needed him to be.

_Safe._

Why did Phillips want AJ to accompany him with Howard and Carter? Well, that was mostly Howard's doing.

He said that he couldn’t continue on with his work without his partner by his side and then pointed right at AJ, who had been down in the pit looking at the submarine the German spy had used to try and escape. AJ knew that the real reason Howard wanted her to come with him was because he wanted to keep an eye on her - but she had refused to go, instead wanting to stay behind in the States so that she could continue on with Abraham's work. But Phillips wanted her to be overseas fighting Hydra with his team.

Dr. Adelyn Frost, was now; Agent Adelyn Frost of the S.S.R.

AJ agreed to go (though she didn’t really have a choice) if Philips still allowed her to work on Project Rebirth. At the mere thought of him actually having an army full of super soldiers, Phillips had agreed. AJ would be training with Agent Carter during the day so her nights could be spent working on the serum.

She looked over at Howard when he began to speak to her. “First time on a plane, AJ?” Howard asked with a smug little smile. She figured he was trying to make her mood less sour by trying to tease her.

It wasn’t Howard's fault that she was upset.

It was Hydras.

And now that she was going overseas, AJ would do anything to help stop them. She just needed to pick herself up by her bootstraps and do what she needed to do.

End HYDRA.

AJ huffed out a little laugh at his attempt to tease her. “No, Stark. It’s not my first time.”

Though, it was her first time being on this big of an aircraft.

When she looked back over at Howard he had raised his brows in interest.

She rolled her eyes in return, knowing that he was skeptical of her response. “I got my pilots license in ’40.” AJ explained.

“A pilot’s license by twenty-two. Very impressive, Frost.”

Peggy cut in, “-For a woman, I’m sure you’re about to say.” She said while narrowing her eyes at Howard.

AJ had to smile at that.

“I was not!” Howard said next, mock offended.

“Of course, you weren’t, Howard.” AJ said to Stark but then looked at Peggy and made a face mouthing, _of course he did,_ causing Howard to huff in irritation.

“I request to be part of a new team, Colonel.” Howard shouted over at Phillips who chose to ignore him.

“What made you want to get your pilots license, Adelyn?” Peggy asked ignoring a sulking Howard who sat between herself and AJ.

AJ had to smile a little. “Because my father forbade me.” Peggy grinned at AJ’s answer. “When a person tells me that I cant do something; I very much enjoy proving them wrong.” She spoke honestly.

“I do, as well.” Peggy agreed. After a beat, Peggy asked her next question. “How long have you known Rogers?”

AJ smiled a little. “A few years.”

“And how did you two meet?” Peggy inquired. She had a clear interest in him – and not as an asset. And it wasn’t the first time AJ had noticed Peggy's interest in Steve. Peggy Carter didn’t just enjoy the enhanced Steve Rogers – the woman had kept her eye on him the entire time in Jersey.

“I was a nurse at one of the recruiting stations in Brooklyn.” AJ said and then frowned, thinking of how that wasn’t just the first time she met Steve – but Bucky as well. “Steve had gone with his friend and I had noticed as he was leaving that he had dropped his cross necklace,” She explained. “But it wasn’t until the next year that we became friends. He came to the recruitment center again with the same friend,” she smiled, “-for moral support after Bucky got drafted.”

“That was awfully kind of him.” Peggy smiled softly.

“Steve Rogers is a very kind and considerate man.” AJ stated. It wasn’t her opinion, it was fact. Anyone who met Steve knew this. “I promised Bucky I’d look after him while he was at basic and we became fast friends.”

“Are you telling Carter about your solider?” Howard smirked as he looked over at AJ.

“He is not _my_ solider.” AJ corrected Howard with a glare. The young woman then looked to Colonel Phillips and asked him, “When will we be arriving? – I don’t know how much longer I can sit next to Howard without wanting to throw him off the plane.”

“We’ll be in London soon. And if you two don’t stop yammering at one another, you’re both getting tossed off the plane.”

AJ held in her chuckle and pressed her red stained lips together.

“Your solider,” Peggy said to AJ only to have her narrow her eyes at the Brit. “ _Bucky,_ ” Peggy corrected herself with a small smile. “Where is he now?”

“He shipped out for London a few weeks back.” AJ told Peggy.

The woman smiled, “Perhaps you’ll see him.”

Howard looked to AJ and grinned. “Yes, perhaps fate will intervene yet again.”

“There is no such things as fate, Howard. As a man of science, you should know this.” Adelyn replied in a dry tone.

“All I know is that the stars have aligned when it comes to you and your solider. The recruitment station, Camp McCoy, _my_ exposition, and now London. Fate keeps throwing you two together; maybe you should listen to it?”

There was no such things as _fate,_ or any higher power pulling the strings when it came to her life. Adelyn Frost was a woman is science.

Fate did not exist.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

  

 **June 30, 1943**  
**Italy**

 

 

 

 

 

Bucky missed Brooklyn.

He missed Steve.

And he missed Adelyn Frost.

He had only written to her once.

She didn’t reply.

After their goodbye Bucky had hoped that maybe things could progress into…who was he kidding? Frosty was so out of his league. And she damn sure let him know that. Which was part of the reason he liked her so much.

“Uh-oh boys,” Timothy “Dum-Dum” Dugan laughed, “Barnes has that look in his eyes.”

His lips twisted into a lazy smirk as he rolled his eyes.

“Oh, we all know _that_ look.” Gabe Jones laughed.

“Where’s that picture your pal drew for you?” Dugan chimed in again grabbing at Bucky’s bag only to have him tug it back.

“Give the man a break,” Gabe threw his bread rations at Dugan smacking him in the head with it. “The kid is in love – we should all be so lucky. Especially the way the world is going to Hell right now.”

“Love?” Dugan barked out a laugh. “He ain’t even kissed the girl yet!”

“So he says,” Gabe smirked at Bucky. “What her name again, Sarge?” He asked causing most of the men in the tent to groan.

Bucky just shook his head and chuckled. He bit into his own bread while refusing to answer.

A loud whistle blew alerting all the men on base that there would be new arrivals.

“Who in the Hell are they bringing in now?” Dugan complained as he sat up in his cot.

“Some underground op – that’s what I heard. The SS something.” Gabe spoke up.

Bucky sat up in his cot and looked to Morita. “-Did you say the SSR?”

“Yeah, I think that’s what they call themselves. They were stationed in London.”

It all became a mumble to Bucky as he quickly threw his boots on and then threw on his army regulated green jacket over his white tank and damn near fell while trying to get out of the tent. He ran to where he heard all the commotion where all the nurses were currently giggling, some even crying out for Howard Stark.

If Stark was here – she _had_ to have come with him.

Howard stepped out of the army jeep and waved to the nurses and some of the soldiers. He then held the door open for someone else to get out.

Bucky held his breath in anticipation.

But it wasn’t AJ.

It was another woman, blonde hair, red lips, and blue eyes.

Not AJ.

The woman wore the SSR military uniform, though.

Bucky swallowed hard. His disappointment that AJ was not here with Howard almost felt overwhelming.

He was a fool to think that there’d be a chance AJ came to where he was stationed.

She was safe back in Brooklyn with Steve.  _That was a good thing._

Bucky closed his eyes and turned back around, taking the first few steps back to his tent while looking down at the ground.

But he stopped walking when he heard Stark yelling his name.

“Barnes!”

Bucky looked over his shoulder to see Howard Stark running up to where he now stood.

“Holy shit – it is you!” Howard laughed, patting his shoulder as he smiled at Bucky.

He nodded, looking past Howard. After Howard's reaction to seeing Bucky, he felt a little hope again that AJ might be with him.

“Oh, AJ is gonna be mad as hell when she finds out you're stationed here.” Howard continued to laugh. Bucky looked to Howard and raised his brows up in confusion. “Long story.” Howard smirked.

“Where…” Bucky looked over Howard's shoulder again but no one else had come out.

“Oh, she’s still stationed in London training with Agent Carter.” Howard told Bucky who visibly frowned. “Cheer up, kid! She’ll be here within a month. And given that we both know Adelyn Frost is an over-achiever, I say she’ll be here in less than a month.” Howard smirked while slapping Bucky on his shoulder again only to throw an arm around it next. “Take me to the mess hall, kid. I feel like I haven’t eaten in days!” Howard said in a laugh.

With how close Howard was, almost leaning against Bucky, he could smell the stench of alcohol on his breath. Bucky had to chuckle – the base was a dry area. No drinking allowed whatsoever. But from what Bucky could gather; Howard wasn’t someone who followed the rules.

And neither was AJ.

Bucky dropped Howard off at the mess hall and headed back to his tent. Only Jones was still present when he returned, the rest of his bunk mates off somewhere else. The man sat up in his cot when Bucky came into the tent. “Someone came in and said that Howard Stark is here.” Gabe laughed. “This war is getting to their heads. Why the hell would a millionaire playboy come here?”

He chuckled as he made his way over to his own cot and began to dig in his bag to pull out the picture Steve had drawn of AJ for him.

She was in Europe. And she was coming to where he was stationed.

Bucky grinned happily.

He’d see her again.

Much sooner than he thought he would.

And he was glad.

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 **October 9th, 1943**  
**London, England**

 

 

 

 

 

Adelyn Frost was tired of London.

Tired of the grey clouds and rain, tired of the accents around her, God, she was just _tired._ Peggy Carter was a hell of a sparring partner and would not let AJ leave until the new SSR recruit was just as good as her trainer. And as good a shot as Peggy, too.

Her older brothers had taught her how to shoot years ago but they had told AJ that she was a terrible shot.

She smiled thinking of how proud West would be if he could see her now. George always gave her a hard time on her marksmanship but Sam had always encouraged her.

And if they had been just trying to rile her up, AJ had always felt more comfortable doing something she excelled at. Which was Math and science.

Oh, if her brothers could only see her now.

AJ hadn’t spoken to her family in months – her father downright refused to even reply to her letters after she had wrote to her parents telling them that she was overseas aiding to the men in the US Army. He believed she was there as a nurse – not becoming an international spy for the SSR.

The last letter she got was from her older brother Sam at the end August.

And she had not received any letters from Steve.

She frowned, missing her friend more than ever now. Her goodbye to him was almost cold. The both of them were still freshly wounded from losing Abraham. He had hugged her goodbye and AJ had felt so weird being held in his arms in that moment seeing as she had to stand on her tip toes just to wrap her arms around his shoulders. When she was hugging him she had whispered to Steve that she believed he was even taller than Bucky now. But her voice was detached and the tears were still fresh in her eyes.

At least she knew he was safe back home in the US.

Howard was in Italy, he had left only a few days after they had arrived in London to work with the Generals in designing new weapons to defeat HYDRA.

AJ was supposed to be in Italy by the end of July. And yet, she was still in London.

Peggy and Phillips both agreed that AJ needed more training and kept her in London until they both agreed that they felt comfortable sending her into the field. But all AJ wanted to do was get to Howard so that they could work on recreating a serum for Project Rebirth. He had worked so closely with AJ and Erskine that surely he’d have had to remember some of Abraham's calculations and formulas. Howard had been writing to her, too. In fact, his letters were the only ones she had received lately.

There were no letters from Bucky either. For all she knew they could be at home waiting for her and Bucky could be off somewhere thinking she didn’t care enough to reply.

He wasn’t in London.

Somehow, the moment she stepped foot onto London soil – she knew she would not find him there. _Ridiculous._ How absurd for her to even humor herself into believing that she knew whether or not Bucky was in the city – he could be anywhere in London! But her gut didn’t listen to her.

“Pack your bags, Frost.” AJ looked over her shoulder to see Peggy standing in the doorway. “We’re headed to Italy.”

The young woman grinned happily at Peggy's words. “Please tell me this isn’t a test.”

Peggy chuckled while shaking her head. “It’s not a test. We leave within the hour.”

AJ was quick to pack her bags and if this was the last time she saw London, she would be perfectly fine. The entire time she had been training she felt like she needed to be in Italy. That it was where she belonged for the time being. Perhaps it was because Howard was there and they were bound to have a breakthrough with Project Rebirth?

They hadn’t written about it seeing as it was too risky to be sending letters back and forth about the serum when Hydra was near. They had worked on a coding system to communicate with the other, one that they believed Hydra could never crack. But the little he did write about his new projects the more restless AJ became to get to Italy so that she could help him work on it.

_“You’re not just a scientist anymore, Frost. You’re an agent of the SSR. You were never meant to hide behind beakers and sit in a lab. You were meant for more, I know it, Howard knows it, and I believe you know it as well.”_

Maybe it was the accent but whenever Peggy spoke about AJ’s future – a spark was lit and she started to believe every single thing Peggy was saying about her. Perhaps she was meant to be more than a scientist. _But,_ that didn’t mean it would not be her first love.

Agent Frost of the SSR was being shipped off to Italy where she knew her future was waiting for her. AJ just didn’t know what that may be.

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

  

 **October 12th, 1943**  
**Italy**

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Whoa, whoa, whoa-”

Bucky looked over his shoulder to see Howard hurrying over to him.

“Where are you off to, solider?” Stark asked as Bucky made his way over to the rest of the 107th Infantry Regiment.

“Azzano,” Bucky answered. “We’re trying to push the Germans north.” He explained to the man who had become his friend. Bucky understood why AJ had formed a friendship with him (and worked with him). Stark was a decent fella.

“No, you can’t.” Howard shook his head and placed his hand on Bucky’s chest to stop him from moving.

Bucky laughed. “Why don’t you try telling my Colonel that.” He said still amused.

Howard made a face when a whistle blew. “Adelyn is arriving tonight.”

Bucky felt his eyes widen a bit. “Are you jerkin’ my chain? Cause’ you told me that a few months ago and-”

Howard cut him off. “No, she’ll be here.” He looked down at his watch. “By sundown, if my math is right – which it always is.”

AJ had been meant to be here in July but had been stuck in London (doing something Howard said he didn’t have clearance to discuss with Bucky) and Bucky had been waiting this entire time for her to come to Italy – and of course with his damn luck, the day he was being sent out to Azzano, AJ was finally arriving.

If there was a God he was cruel and twisted.

“Barnes!” His Colonel yelled. “Fall in line!”

He huffed and ran his hands through his hair. “Pen and paper!” Bucky demanded of Howard and motioned for him to hurry. Howard pulled a little notepad and pen from his shirt pocket and gave it to Bucky who scribbled words down quickly and then gave it back to Howard. “Tell her I’ll see her when I get back.” Bucky grinned, feeling good for the first time in weeks.

“I will!” Howard grinned. He gave Bucky a mock salute before he turned and headed back in the direction of the lab.

Bucky fell in line with his brothers in arm and tried hard to listen to what his orders were. But all Bucky could see in that moment was her smile, the dimples she had in each cheek, those stunning green eyes, her lips painted red and the little mole on her cheek.

He was going to see her again.

Bucky would get to see the woman he was absolutely nuts over.

Nothing could damper his mood.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

  

AJ had barely gotten out of the car when Howard began to tug at her arm and pulled her away from everyone. She looked at him in confusion and swatted his hand off of her arm,

“Fate!” Howard said with a wide grin.

“What?” AJ looked at him in confusion and moved to rest her hands on her hips.

The trip from London had been hard and AJ was tired and irritated. They had to make camp every few hours to dodge the German soldiers - not to mention Hydra who were always on their tail. And right now she just wanted to sleep - but instead, she was listening to Howard go on about  _fate._

Howard pulled out a notepad, flipping it open for AJ and then grabbed one hand off of her hip and forced her to hold the little notepad. She looked at him with a raised brow and when he huffed while motioning for her to read what was written, AJ finally looked down at the words.

 

 

 _Frosty,_  
_Dinner when I come back?_  
_We can find ourselves a new tree here._  
_-Bucky_

 

 

 

AJ looked up at Howard with wide eyes.

“He’s been here the whole time, AJ.” Howard smirked.

She couldn’t fight the smile that appeared. “When did he write this?” AJ asked Howard.

“A few hours ago. You just missed each other.”

“He’s been here?” AJ asked again with a little laugh.

The sun was setting and the sky was growing darker.

“The entire time. He wrote to you, by the way. I told him we’ve been in London and not to worry over you not writing him back this time.” Howard teased only to have AJ roll her eyes at his words. “It’s fate, Adelyn Frost.” Howard said as he walked backwards while pointing at the young woman. “ _Fate.”_

There was no such thing as fate.

Just coincidences.

But there had been an awful lot of coincidences involving Bucky in her life.

AJ smiled looking down at the notepad Bucky had written in.

And then she felt an awful chill.

_Cold._

And the warm happy feeling she had felt moments earlier vanished.

Something didn’t feel right.


	20. nineteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [AJ FROST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35550753)   
>  [OC MASTERLIST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35551293)

 

* * *

  

**November 3, 1943**  
**Italy**

  **STEVE**

 

 

Compared to the glitz and glamour of the Captain America tour that Steve had been used to, arriving in Italy to grey clouds and a large camp full of grim and weary soldiers, Steve saw now, first hand, the real impact of the war that Europe and the soldiers had suffered. It was the first tour he had done overseas and the troops were not welcoming to a man dressed as a solider who punched a fake Hitler in the face.

Thankfully, Steve had not come to Italy alone.

The show girls he worked with came as well. And _they_ were exactly what these soldiers needed.

 _Why_ Steve was sent to this military base of out of all the bases he could have been sent to? He did not know. But he no longer fought against his orders now.

He sat in the rain now and sketched a monkey riding a unicycle. A _joke._ That’s exactly how he felt. He was a joke to these men and he completely understood why they would think that. Steve sat around playing dress up over the last few months, making movies, signing autographs, and taking pictures with babies. These men were putting their life on the line to keep their country safe and Steve was…a joke.

That’s how he felt.

“Hello, Steve.” A voice said loud enough for Steve to hear over the sound of thunder and rain.

Steve looked over his shoulder and his eyes widened in surprise. _Agent Carter._

“Hi.” He smiled, glad to see a familiar face.

“Hi.” Peggy smiled back.

“W-what are you doing here?” He asked in surprise.

Peggy set down her coat, “Officially, I am not here at all.” She said as she took a seat next to him. “Quite the performance.”

There was no mockery in her tone. But Steve still felt like a hack. “Yeah, uh…I had to improvise a little bit.” He admitted. “Crowds I’m used to are more…uh,” He sighed but continued on. “Twelve.” There was no lying to Peggy Carter. Steve was sure she knew all about the shows.

“I understand you’re ‘Americas New Hope’?”

“Bond sales take a ten percent bump in every state I visit.”

Her tone was no longer friendly now. “Is that Senator Brandt I hear?” She questioned him.

“At least he’s got me doin’ this. Phillip would have had me stuck in a lab.” He reminded Peggy, looking over his shoulder at her again.

“And these are your only two options? A lab rat or a dancing monkey?” She raised her brow. “You were meant for more than this, you know?” Steve was ready to respond but stopped last minute, hesitating on saying how he truly felt. “What?” Peggy asked him.

He sighed, “Y’know, for the longest time I dreamed about coming overseas and being on the front lines. Serving my country. I finally get everything I wanted…and I’m wearing tights.” A car honking loudly pulled Steve and Peggy away from their conversation. He watched as a man was pulled out from the back of a car on a stretcher, “They look like they’ve been through Hell.”

And then he spotted a small figure running towards the car shouting orders like they ran the place. He knew that voice. Steve stood up and saw now that it was AJ. She was checking the man on the stretcher and then motioned for him to be taken into camp before yelling more orders to the men around her. And they _listened._ Steve felt so proud in that moment.

“-That’s,” He began to say.

“She’s been treating these soldiers for some time now – they’ve been through hell more than most. Schmidt sent out a force to Azzano. Two hundred men went up against him and less than fifty returned. Your audience contained what was left of the one-oh-seventh. The rest were killed or captured.”

Steve stood looking over his shoulder to see AJ running in a different direction and then looked back at Peggy. “The one-oh-seventh?”

Peggy frowned.

_Bucky._

Steve motioned for Peggy to follow him as he ran forward. “Come on!” He said, running in the direction of the tent he had watched AJ run into.

He walked in to see Colonel Phillips sitting at a table going over plans and saw that he was not alone. AJ looked up just as Steve walked in and he could see the instant relief sweep over her features.

“Colonel Phillips.” Steve addressed the man.

“Well, if it isn’t the Star-Spangled Man With A Plan.” Phillips mocked him. “And what is your plan today?”

“I need the casualty list from Azzano.” Steve demanded.

Phillips scoffed. “You don’t give me orders, son.”

“I just need one name. Sergeant James Barnes from the hundredth and seventh.” He looked to AJ who opened her mouth only to have Phillips give her a sharp shake of his head and grabbed her wrist to stop her from saying anything. “Jay.” Steve said but she looked away from him.

Phillips looked behind Steve at Peggy. “You and I are gonna have a conversation later that you won’t enjoy.”

“-Please tell me if he’s alive, sir.” Steve interrupted Phillips. “B-A-R,”

“-I can spell!” Colonel Phillips said in irritation. He then looked to AJ who gave him a pleading look. He sighed. “I have signed more of these condolences letters today than I would care to count. But that name does not sound familiar. I’m sorry.”

“He’s alive.” AJ said and her voice was sure. Phillips looked over his shoulder at her with what Steve could only assume was a glare. But she matched him with a defiant look and then looked to Steve, proceeding to tell him more information. “-Hydra has captured many of our men as well as other countries soldiers who fight against the Nazi’s.”

“-That’s enough out of you!” Phillips snapped. “Or I will send you back to the lab with Stark to end this little crusade of yours.”

Steve looked to AJ and mouthed the word; _crusade._ That meant they were looking for Bucky. “-What about the others? Are you planning a rescue mission?” He asked.

AJ opened her mouth again but Phillips interrupted her. “Yeah! It’s called winning the war.”

“-But if you know where they are, why not at least,”

“-They’re thirty miles behind the lines.” Phillips said quickly, probably so that AJ couldn't get the chance to say it for him considering the look he gave her when he stood up. “Through the most heavily fortified territory in Europe. We’d lose more men than we’d save. But I don’t expect you to understand that, because you’re a chorus girl.”

Steve narrowed his eyes at Colonel Phillips. “I think I understand just fine.”

“Well then understand it somewhere else.” Phillips walked forward, his back now turned on Steve. “If I read the posters correctly, you got some place to be in thirty minutes.”

Steve looked AJ who made a point to move the maps a bit where Steve might be able to see them. He did. The map showed exactly where Bucky and the rest of them were being held. Steve looked away from the maps and back at AJ with a grateful smile. She returned it with a nod.

“Yes, sir.” Steve agreed with Phillips. “I do.”

He was going to go rescue the men. And he’d find Bucky as well. He looked to AJ and motioned for her to follow him.

She did just that.

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

  

** AJ **

 

 

 

 

“How long have you been here?” Steve asked AJ as he began to change into combat gear she had stolen for him.

“A little under a month. I got here the day they sent Bucky and the one-oh-seventh to Azzano.” AJ helped him with his boots by getting down on the ground to tie them for him.

“Did you see him?” Steve asked, putting on the jacket she had given him.

AJ looked up at Steve as she finished tying his boot and then moved to stand before him. AJ shook her head, telling him that she hadn't gotten to see Bucky. She pressed her hand to her jacket pocket where she kept his note on her. “I didn’t. They left a few hours before I arrived. I was _supposed_ to be here a long time ago but had to stay back and train.” AJ took in a deep breath and forced a smile. “You are speaking to Agent Frost of the SSR now.” 

Steve raised his brows at her. “You’re an Agent now?” She nodded her head. He squinted his eyes at her, coming to a realization. “You wouldn’t happen to have any idea why my first European show was scheduled _here_ , would you?”

She licked at her lower lips, looking down at the ground before looking back up at Steve. “I may have forged some papers to get you to this base - but I will deny it if you tell anyone.” Her face grew serious now. “I knew that if you came…you wouldn’t sit back. And that’s what I’ve had to do these past weeks is just _sit_ and wait and pray that-” AJ stopped herself. _Prayed that Bucky wouldn’t show up on the list of casualties?_ That he wouldn’t become just another person she lost to this damn war.

 _No,_ she knew he was alive.

“Steve, he’s not dead.” She said instead. “I can feel it.” AJ placed her hand over her jacket pocket again, the only thing getting her through these past few weeks was the promise of that note. That Bucky would be back and they’d have dinner – that they’d find a tree here in Italy to make their own just like they had at Camp McCoy.

AJ looked to Steve who held her gaze for long moment and then smiled. “I believe he’s alive too.” Steve assured her, placing his hand on her shoulder.

Peggy walked in on them. “What are you two planning on doing?” She asked looking at AJ and Steve. “Walk to Austria?”

“If that’s what it takes.” Steve said.

AJ put on a heavy coat to withstand to cold Austrian air. She hadn't thought of anything further into her plan to rescue Bucky – all she had done was get Steve to Italy. Because AJ knew that when Steve arrived and found out about Bucky that he would go try and find him. He would have the plans and she would accompany him. There was no doubt in her mind that Steve would try and fight her on that small part. But they _had_ to do this. Not just to save Bucky, but all the other POW.

“You heard the Colonel; your friend is most likely dead.”

AJ snapped her head in Peggy’s direction but before she could open her mouth, Steve stopped her by placing his hand on her arm.

“You don’t know that.” Steve answered.

“Even so, he’s devising a strategy. If he detects,”

Steve raised his voice as he interrupted her. “By the time he’s done that – it’ll be too late!” AJ watched as Steve marched forward and followed him to the jeep, as did Peggy. AJ got in the passenger side of the car.

“Agent Frost, you are going against the SSR’s orders.” Peggy reminded AJ in a stern voice.

 _I don’t care,_ she wanted to say. _I never wanted to be an agent. I’m just a biochemist._

“And if I stay I’ll be going against everything I believe by not helping Steve. I joined the SSR to help our men defeat Hydra and that’s what I plan on doing. Even if it is just me and Steve.” She buckled into the seat.

“-You told me you thought I was meant for more than this.” Steve said to Peggy now. “Did you mean that?”

It took a moment but Peggy answered Steve’s question, “Every word.”

“Then you got to let me go.” Steve told her.

Peggy sighed, shaking her head. “Get out of the car, Agent Frost.”

AJ shook her head. “I can’t, Peg. I’m sorry. I have to do this.”

“And you will. Just not in that jeep. I can help you two.”

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

  

** AJ **

 

 

 

“I cannot believe you did not come to me first!” Howard hissed as he sat in the pilot’s seat with AJ on his right as his co-pilot. “You should have come to me first – you know I’m always for breaking the rules!” He huffed.

AJ ignored him and listened to Peggy and Steve talk.

“The Hydra camp is in Krausberg, tucked between these two mountain rangers. It’s a factory of some kind.” Peggy told Steve and when AJ looked over her shoulder at the two of them she saw that they were going over the map.

“We should be able to drop you right onto the doorstep.” Howard hollered from the cockpit.

“Just get me as close as you can.” Steve replied. He then looked to Howard, Peggy, and then AJ. “You know, you three are gonna get in a lot of trouble when we land.”

“And you won’t?” Peggy shot back.

“Where I’m goin’, if anybody yells at me – I can just shoot them.”

“People shoot back, Steve.” AJ reminded him.

“Undoubtedly,” Peggy agreed.

“Well, let’s hope it’s good for something,” Steve knocked on his metal shield.

“-Agent Carter, if we’re not in too much of a hurry – I thought we could stop off in Lucerne for a late night fondue.” Howard piped in.

The plane grew silent and AJ looked back at Steve and Peggy sitting there uncomfortably quiet.

Peggy cleared her throat and finally began to talk again. “Stark is the best civilian pilot I’ve ever seen. He’s mad enough to brave this airspace. We’re in good hands.” Peggy sounded like she was trying to assure Steve.

“So are you two,” Steve motioned between Peggy and Howard. “Do you…” He stopped but started up again, “Fondue?”

AJ had to look back again at Steve with an amused expression. Lord help the man. He may have those Greek God looks and pecs of steal – but he was still that little guy from Brooklyn who did not know how to talk to women.

“-This is your transponder. Activate it when you’re ready and the signal will lead us straight to you.” Peggy ignored Steve’s question.

“Are you sure this thing works?” Steve shouted over at Howard.

“It’s been tested more than you, pal.” Howard said causing AJ to roll her eyes at his comment. The airplane shifted and the female scientist turned SSR Agent began to get out of the co-pilots seat. “Whoa, whoa!” Howard tried to reach for AJ but she was quick to get out of his line of reach knowing he’d have his hands full with trying not to get hit by the enemy. “Adelyn Frost! Get back up here.”

She ignored him and walked over to Steve, grabbing a parachute, strapping herself in snugly. AJ could hear Peggy arguing with Steve, who did not seem to notice she was getting ready to jump too. Which was a good thing because they really didn’t have time to argue about how it was not safe for AJ to accompany him.

“As soon as I’m free, you turn this thing around and get the hell out of here.” Steve ordered Peggy.

“-You can’t give me orders!” Peggy shouted at him.

“The Hell I can’t!” Steve argued back. “I’m a Captain.”

He jumped.

AJ stepped forward to do the same.

“Adelyn, stand down!” Peggy ordered her.

AJ took in a deep breath as she stood at the door now, estimating how far off she’d land from Steve if she didn’t find the courage to jump soon. She strapped on her helmet and goggles.

“AJ! Do not ju-”

Peggy’s words faded as AJ jumped out of the plane.

It was hands down the most reckless thing AJ had ever done in her life. 

Perhaps she felt so much strength and inspiration because Steve was there – AJ didn’t know. But as the bombs went off around her she didn't feel fear. The only thing she felt was her determination to find Bucky.

 _He’s alive,_ she continued to tell herself.

She landed roughly, quickly moving her body so her side would get the most impact with the ground – she could keep on going with a broken rib, but if she were to hurt her ankle or legs? This whole thing would be useless.

“Jay!” She heard Steve hiss and then the sound of feet thumping against the ground in her direction. “What in the _hell_ do you think you’re doing?” He said as he helped her to her feet.

AJ pulled off her goggles over the helmet she wore. “You didn’t think you were going on this little rescue mission alone, did you?” She took in a steady breath while not letting the fear of being out in the open rattle her. “Help me get this thing off,” She motioned to her parachute.

Steve did as she told him but continued on to lecture her. “This is too dangerous, Jay – you, I can’t believe you would - you jumped into a warzone!” He huffed.

“So did you!” AJ hissed back at him. “I’m not sitting back and waiting any longer – I’m doing this because I trust my instincts and I trust yours. Forgive me for not wanting to rely on Phillips when it comes to getting Bucky and the rest of the one-oh-seven.” She shrugged the parachute off once Steve had unbuckled it all.

AJ had been going crazy the past few weeks with worry and fear and she was done being scared.

Her fear had mostly been connected with the fact that she might never see Bucky again. But the one thing she was no longer afraid of? AJ was no longer afraid of admitting to herself that she felt something for Bucky that was more than just friendship.

“I can’t sit back and wait anymore, Steve. Please don’t ask me to.”

He sighed, closing his eyes for a moment before he spoke up. “Stay behind me. Do not run off on your own. And…keep this on,” He tapped her helmet. “At all times!” He ordered.

AJ smiled at Steve and raised her hand to her head to salute him only to have him roll his eyes at her. He shook his head in defeat before he jerked his head in the direction they were supposed to go.

She stayed behind him keeping her ears and eyes open to any threat and tried to keep her heart from ripping out of her chest with how rapidly it was pounding. But the fast beats of her heart wasn’t because of fear. It must have been from the adrenaline of jumping out of a plane into a war zone. 

All that she knew with absolutely no doubt was that she was going to find Bucky and that they’d recuse him and all of the other POW.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

**AUSTRIA**

 

** STEVE **

 

 

 

 

They had made it to the factory and saw just how heavily guarded it actually was. But Steve was quick on his feet when he spotted transport cars down the road. He whispered his orders to AJ and they both ran for the truck.

Steve lifted his friend up first before tumbling in after her. Once he was inside the car, AJ had grabbed his arm tight causing him to look up to see that they were not alone in the jeep.

“Fellas.”

When the men lunged forward at them Steve pushed AJ to the side and knocked the two guards out and threw them out the back of the tented jeep.

“That was too close.” AJ said in a whisper as they pulled up to the gate. “They’re going to check the back once we are inside, we need a plan.”

“We’ll improvise.” Steve said with a shrug while moving AJ behind him and held up his shield to protect them both. When the tent lifted, Steve shoved the shield hard and fast at the person sending them flying backwards.

He looked back at AJ who was looking at him with wide eyes. “How hard can you hit?” She asked moving her hand to his arm to feel his muscle. “With that much weight at such a high speed,” He shook his head and motioned for him to quickly follow her. AJ let go of his arm and followed after him - they could talk science after.

They ran forward and Steve hopped onto one of the tanks and bent down to pull AJ up as well. “Do you honestly plan to scale a building?” AJ shook her head at his plan. “You may be able to do that but _I_ can’t!” She reminded him. “We need to find another way in unless you plan on strapping me to your chest, Steven.” He watched as she huffed in frustration.

Steve looked to AJ and a lopsided grin started to form on his lips.

“No,” She knew what he was thinking. “No – I was not serious about you strapping me to your chest, Steve!”

“It’s the easiest and safest way to get inside, Jay. You said you didn’t want to sit back and wait. Now come on.”

AJ groaned as she grabbed his hand and they ran on the small roof to get to the building where Steve strapped AJ to his chest with the bungee cords from the parachute.

“This is humiliating.” AJ said while moving her arms to wrap about Steve’s shoulders, she then moved her legs to wrap around his middle and Steve adjusted them both before he scaled the building. When they reached the top, AJ let her legs fall off of him but kept her arms wrapped around his neck. “I think that was more nerve-racking then jumping out of a plane.” She admitted as Steve unhooked her.

“Y’know Bucky is gonna kill me for letting you come along.” Steve said and moved his hand down to her hips, setting her down on the ground and her arms dropped to her sides and off his shoulders.

“Well, Bucky is not the boss of me.” AJ was quick to say back. Steve chuckled and they both headed to a door that would lead them inside.

How they managed to sneak past everyone without someone noticing was beyond Steve’s understanding. But they had. Now they stood in front of a bunch of weapons. Each weapon looked like it was powered by a glowing blue orb of sorts. “What the hell is this?” Steve asked AJ who leaned in closer to one of the weapon to examine it herself.

“I,” She began to say only to stop when they both heard noise coming towards them. Steve pocketed the piece he was holding and AJ picked up what appeared to be an enhanced gun.

Steve felt a lot better knowing that AJ now had a weapon on her in case they ran into any trouble.

They both ran until they found where the prisoners were being held. Steve looked to AJ when he saw one guard and watched as she balled her hand into a fist and motioned for him to knock the guy out. Steve nodded and did just that.

AJ and Steve looked down at the hole where soldiers were being kept.

A man with dark skin looked up at them, “Who are you supposed to be?” He asked Steve.

“I’m…” He looked at AJ and shrugged before looking back down at the man. “Captain America.”

“I beg your pardon?” A British prisoner asked as Steve and AJ made their way down to down to them after swiping the keys from the unconscious guard.

Once the cells were unlocked and each prisoner began to poor out, one of the men looked to another soldier who had come out of the cell with him. “-What, are we taking everybody?” He asked and looked directly at an Asian solider.

The man narrowed his eyes in a glare. “I’m from Frezno, Ace.”

“Now is not the time, boys.” AJ stepped between them to stop a fight from breaking out.

“Is anybody else here?” Steve asked moving forward and then watched as the taller man with a mustache looked down AJ oddly, as if he were examining her. “-I’m looking for a Sergeant Barnes.”

“Ho-ly _shit_.” The mustached man said while pointing to AJ. “You!”

“Me?” AJ said back in confusion but the British soldier had begun to speak.

“-There’s an isolation ward in the factory but no one’s ever come back from it.” The Brit told them pulling Steve and AJ’s attention away from the mustached man.

Steve moved his arm to AJ’s shoulder guiding her through the men and began to speak to all the POW. “All right. There tree line is northwest, eighty yards past the gate. Get out fast and give ‘em Hell. We’ll meet you guys in the clearing with anybody else we find.”

“-Wait,” The dark-skinned man said causing AJ and Steve to turn and face him. “Do you two know what you’re doing?” He asked, his eyes falling back and forth between both of them.

“Yeah,” Steve answered. “I’ve knocked out Adolf Hitler over two hundred times.”

 

* * *

 

 

** AJ **

 

 

 

The gun AJ had picked up was more powerful than any gun she had ever used in her entire life. It wasn’t possible for a gun to be that strong! The blue light that fueled the weapon was nowhere near the technology she had been working with Howard on. Too ahead of their own time! These weapons were impossible.

And they sure had a kickback.

But after the first few shots fired she was able to get used to it. Now easily adjusting the gun so it wouldn’t knock her back as roughly as it did with the first few shots she took.

Hydras weapons were too sophisticated. And unless the military was able to get their hands on these weapons to study them – they were all sitting ducks.

The gun didn’t use a bullet, instead a blue light would shoot out of the barrel and the person evaporated.

They turned to dust.

AJ stopped running and grabbed at Steve’s arm when she saw a short man run out of a room. The man looked back at them but in the poorly lit area AJ could not figure out who he was. Steve began to run after him only to stop at the room the man had been in and AJ followed closely behind.

That’s when they both heard the muffled mumbling.

_“Sergeant. 32557.”_

AJ felt her breath catch in her throat when she saw a man strapped down to a table.

Not just any man though.

“Bucky, oh my god.” Steve moved forward quickly and AJ stood back in complete shock while watching Steve unstrap Bucky.

“ _Is that,”_ She heard Bucky mumbling.

“It’s me,” Steve pulled Bucky up, “It’s Steve.”

“Steve?”

“Come on.”

“Steve.”

They were both standing now and Bucky’s hands moved to hold onto Steve’s shoulders. Steve sighed in relief. “I thought you were dead,” He said in a whisper but AJ heard it.

“I thought you were smaller.” Bucky replied causing AJ to let out a huff of a laugh. Of course Bucky was able to break out of her state of shock. His eyes drifted over to where she was standing and she listened to him give into a little gasp. “…’Jay?” He breathed out.

Gunfire stopped AJ from saying anything back to Bucky and when she looked back over to him, Steve had already began to move while holding Bucky up so he could stand. “Come on.” He told AJ who moved herself to Bucky's other side and moved his arm around her shoulder. She was sure that the height difference between her and Steve didn’t exactly help Bucky in moving any faster. But a part of her felt like she needed to be holding onto Bucky so that he wouldn't disappear. 

“What happened to you?” Bucky asked while looking up at Steve.

“I joined the Army.”

Steve had let go of Bucky and stayed a few steps ahead of them, leaving it on AJ to keep supporting Bucky up. He kept his arm wrapped around her shoulder but she could tell that he was trying his best to stand up on his own. “Hey, easy,” AJ told him when he kept looking down at her as if she weren’t real or to prove that he wasn't perhaps only dreaming that she was there. And the fact that Steve was very different from the way Bucky left him probably didn't help Bucky in believing that this was all real and not a dream. “Eyes forward.” AJ instructed Bucky.

“Did it hurt?” Bucky asked Steve.

They had explained Project Rebirth as best as they could with Bucky so in and out of it, but AJ figured he understood the gist of it.

“A little.” Steve answered.

Understatement.

“Is it permanent?” Bucky asked next.

“So far.” Steve replied.

“It’s permanent.” AJ answered correctly. Bucky stopped moving and looked down at her. “We got to keep moving, Buck.” She told him while tugging at his shirt to try and get him moving again.

But he moved his hand to her face, “I’m dreaming.”

AJ sighed, knowing that they did not have time for this. “No.” She moved her hand on top of his while his thumb stroked her cheek. “You’re not.”

He nodded, smiling a bit. “No, I am. I’ve had this dream before,”

“You dreamt that Steve was a super soldier and rescued you?” She couldn't help but smile up at Bucky in amusement.

Bucky shook his head and moved his other hand so that his fingers were running through AJ’s hair. He closed his eyes as he moved forward and pressed his forehead down to hers. “No.” He told her. “That’d I’d get to see you one last time.”

“Jay, we gotta go,” Steve said in a rushed tone.

“It’s a dream,” Bucky whispered. “But at least I’m with you in the end.”

She took in a shaky breath, hands trembling as they gripped onto Bucky's shirt.

“Adelyn!” Steve said in a stern voice, pleading with her to do something to snap Bucky out of it.

AJ let go of Bucky's shirt and winced before she took a step back and slapped Bucky hard in the face.

“Ow!” He stumbled back and held onto his cheek. “Dammit, Frosty!”

“Oh, God, I’m sorry,” AJ apologized as she moved forward and brought her hands to his face. “I just had to prove to you that you’re not dreaming." He frowned and AJ grabbed at his hand, intertwining their fingers together and pulled him forward so they could follow after Steve. "Come on. We got to go!” 

There had been a moment before Steve had said her name that AJ felt the urge to move forward and kiss Bucky... and she almost had.

But she had stopped herself knowing that they could not waste anymore time.

And Adelyn Frost knew that if she kissed James Buchanan Barnes in that moment she would not want to stop – and that they’d all end up dying because of that.

 

 

 

* * *

 

  

** STEVE **

 

 

 

 

“Captain America!”

Steve moved his hand behind him to stop AJ and Bucky from getting any closer when he saw it was Johann Schmidt saying his name.

“How exciting! I’m a great fan of your films!” He taunted Steve who moved forward while signaling for Bucky and AJ to stay behind. “So, Dr. Erskine managed it after all. Not exactly an improvement, but still impressive.” He said as he walked closer to Steve.

Anger overtook Steve and his hand balled up into a fist and went straight for Johann’s nose. “You’ve got no idea.” Steve replied.

Schmidt stumbled backwards but picked himself back up, walking towards Steve again. “Haven’t I?” He punched at Steve who quickly held up his shield, protecting himself. The shield had a fist indent in it now. When Steve reached for his gun Schmidt punched him again sending him falling backward and his gun fell off the side of out the catwalk.

When Johann stepped forward, Steve kicked him with both of his legs as hard as he could sending the mad man hurling backwards. He pushed himself up but the catwalk began to retract, separating Steve from Schmidt

“No matter what lies Erskine told you, you see I was his greatest success!” Johann yelled as he began to peel off his face, revealing a red skull.

“You don’t have one of those, do you?” Bucky mumbled, looking at Johann’s skinless face.

“You are deluded, Captain. You pretend to be a simple soldier, but in reality, you are just afraid to admit that we have left humanity behind.” He threw his face into the explosion underneath them. “Unlike you, I embrace it proudly. Without fear!” He headed over to the door that would lead them to an escape.

“Then how come you’re running?” Steve asked him as he escaped. Something underneath them exploded and Steve turned around to face AJ and Bucky, “Come on, let’s go!” He told them.

But AJ stood there frozen looking at where Schmidt and Zola had just been standing.

“Jay,” Steve stood in front of her, blocking her view causing her to look up at him after he broke the trance she had been under. “We need to go.” The woman nodded but didn’t move. Steve looked down at her hand to grab so that he could lead her in a different direction but found that Bucky was already holding it. He looked to Bucky quickly nodded, understanding what Steve was asking for.

“Frosty.” He called her by her nickname and AJ looked up at Bucky. “Come on. We need to get you out of here.”

Her eyes then widened, almost as if she was angry. “Me?” She said back to him. “We need to get _you_ out of here!” She shot back and moved forward and drug Bucky along with her.

If they weren’t in a life or death situation, Steve might actually find that humorous.

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

  

** AJ **

 

 

 

They stopped at a gantry. The only thing keeping them from freedom.

AJ turned back to Steve and shook her head at him. “Do not even _think_ of strapping me to you again.” She said before taking his hand so he could help her over the railing.

“Easy,” Steve told her.

AJ took in a deep breath, looking back at Steve who nodded to her in reassurance. She then looked to Bucky. “I’m right behind you.” Bucky told her with a soft smile.

She was scared. Not for her own safety. But for Bucky's. 

Bucky was still so weak that he could barely walk without needing her to support him.

“I’ll be fine.” Bucky told her, clearly reading her facial expression when she looked at him. “Go. You can do this.”

She closed her eyes and took in another deep breath before she turned around.  Her eyes were now open as she began to walk across the gantry. AJ refused to even humor herself with the idea of looking down at the explosions erupting underneath her. She just kept walking forward.

When she made it across, AJ looked back at Steve and Bucky who were both breathing out in relief once she was back on the catwalk.

“Come on!” She shouted to them.

Steve helped Bucky up and AJ watched while holding her breath as Bucky began to walk across the gantry. When he was at the middle the gantry began to break and AJ moved her hand over her mouth in fear. _I did not come all this way just to watch him die,_ she thought while moving herself forward a bit to hold out her hand.

“Bucky, jump!” She yelled. He looked at her before taking in a deep breath and ran forward, jumping just as the gantry began to collapse and grabbed at AJ’s hand. He ended up pulling her down a bit causing her other hand to grip the railing for support, but Bucky was able to pull himself up with her help by swinging his legs over the railing so that he was finally by AJ’s side.

Bucky and AJ both stood there looking to Steve who was trapped on the other side with no way to escape.

“We need something...” AJ whispered while looking around for anything that could get Steve to them. She was breathing hard, absolutely terrified of the idea of losing Steve.

“There’s go to be a rope or something!” AJ heard Bucky yell to Steve.

“Just go!” Steve yelled at them.

“No!” They both shouted together.

“Not without you!” Bucky damn near screamed. Bucky then looked back at AJ and began to push her towards the door. “Go.” He told her. "Get out!"

“No!” She argued, standing her ground.

“Adelyn – leave, now!” He ordered.

“I am not leaving you two!” She yelled and shoved against his chest. “I’m not leaving!” She said again. “Okay, we’re in this together.”

Bucky nodded his head and pulled her into his arms, whispering softly against her hair; “’Till the end of the line.”

They both looked back at the sound of metal being destroyed and saw Steve bending the bar that held him back. He looked at them one last time before he jumped.

The explosion underneath them seemed to engulf Steve and left AJ and Bucky blind to see if he had made it as they clung to the eachother.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 **November 4 th, 1943**  
**Italy**

** BUCKY **

 

 

When they made their back to camp, Steve, Bucky, and AJ led the way. Bucky kept looking over to AJ with a little smile still in awe that she was here - that she was real and that she and Steve had saved him.

Dugan grabbed his shoulder, giving it a little squeeze. “You got a hell of a girl there,” He smirked when Bucky looked over his shoulder.

Bucky grinned and looked back over at AJ whose cheeks had flushed red upon hearing what Dugan had said. She kept her eyes straight ahead but Bucky could see her gently biting down on her lower lip.

Once they were back at camp the soldiers cheered as they watched watched all of the POW and Steve walk forward. Once they were at the tents, Bucky spotted one of the Colonels walking towards them, his face did not read  _happy._

Steve stopped in front of the Colonel and saluted him. “Some of these men need medical attention.” He told him. Steve waited a moment before saying, “I’d like to surrender myself for disciplinary action.” 

Bucky watched as AJ stepped forward too, “And I, as well.” She made her voice strong.

The Colonel narrowed his eyes at AJ and then looked to Steve. “That won’t be necessary.” He then looked down at AJ. “For either of you.”

“Yes, sir.” Steve said softly.

The man turned around and faced a woman saying something to her causing her to smile. The woman with brown hair walked up to Steve. “You’re late.”

Bucky saw Steve smile as he pulled something out of his bag that looked like a broken radio. “I couldn’t call my ride.”

The woman gave Steve a look that Bucky had never seen a woman give his friend. He grinned and then shouted, “Hey! Let’s hear it for Captain America!”

Everyone around them began to cheer and shout for Steve, or, for _Captain America._

It wasn’t a dream.

This was real.

Steve was a hero.

Bucky turned to look for AJ but couldn’t find her. He frowned and left the crowd of soldiers to go look for her. When he found her, she was with Howard Stark near the lab. Bucky knew that he’d find her there since he knew that's where AJ always felt the most comfortable. Bucky walked forward and watched as AJ handed over a gun to Howard.

“It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen. These weapons shouldn’t even be impossible! You shoot it at a person and they disintegrate!”

“Disintegrate?” Howard said, now looking at the weapon.

“Disintegrate!” AJ said back.

Bucky chuckled causing the two to look over at him. AJ ducked her head a bit when she saw him but he could see that she was smiling.

“I’ll give you two a moment.” Howard said with a smile as he nudged AJ before walking over to Bucky and clapping his shoulder. “Good to see you back, kid.”

Bucky waited until Howard was gone to take a few steps closer to AJ. “Even though you have that big, beautiful, brilliant brain...coming with Steve on a rescue mission was pretty stupid, Jay.” AJ had rolled her eyes at that looking up at him now as he stood right in front of her. He watched as she took in a quick breath, not expecting him to be standing so close. “Thank you.” He smiled.

AJ smiled shrugging a little. “Well, you owed me dinner.” She said as she pulled out a piece of paper from her chest pocket and showed it to him. “Or have you forgotten?” She teased.

He had to take in a breath after that, absolutely stunned that AJ would have even kept the note after how long he had been gone. “Frosty,” He grinned down at her. “I owe you a lifetime of dinners.”

She closed her eyes as she smiled. “I’ll settle with just one.” AJ told him when she had opened her eyes again. “For now.” She winked and then motioned for him to follow her. “We need to run some test on you to make sure you’re okay after that son of a bitch Zola experimented on you,”

He smiled while following after her and listening to her rattle out a bunch of medical terms and other things he had no idea about but happily followed her. Once he was at her side, Bucky couldn't help but keep looking down at her every so often in admiration and felt his whole body warm just being near her.

All those months ago when Gabe had said that Bucky was a ‘kid in love’, he hadn’t denied or corrected the man. _Sure,_ he was smitten with AJ and cared for her a great deal. But love? Perhaps... but he hadn’t known back then.

Now?

If Bucky was sure of only one thing it was that he was in love with Adelyn Juliet Frost.

And nothing would ever change that.


	21. twenty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [AJ FROST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35550753)   
>  [OC MASTERLIST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35551293)

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

**November 4 th, 1943 **

**London, England**

 

** BUCKY **

 

 

 

 

 

He had asked her to join him for a drink.

Bucky said he owed her one after she had saved his ass. AJ had given him a little grin as she brushed her hair behind her ears. He had felt his breath catch in his throat as the dimples in her cheek deepened while she smiled up at him and Bucky noticed that the green in her eyes looked even brighter than they had when they said goodbye in New York.

When AJ's smile had slowly disappeared and the woman looked away from him it was then that Bucky could see hesitation written all over her face. He had felt his heart sink down to his stomach out of fear that she might turn him down. There was no way a girl like Adelyn Frost would ever want him – too smart, too funny, too aware of his bullshit and not afraid to call him out on it.

But then she had bit down on her lower lip and nodded her head in agreement, _“One drink,_ ” She said holding up one finger as she playfully squinted her eyes at him and told Bucky that she had work to do with Howard in the morning.

Bucky got to the bar early with Steve knowing that his friend was there on a completely different mission than Bucky was. Steve was creating his own team of men that would follow him into the pits of Hell to try and end Hydra. Some of his bunk-mates had made the team including his two closest friend in the one-oh-seventh. Bucky knew Steve would ask him to join, too, and there wasn’t a chance in Hell that Bucky would ever tell him no.

Of course he’d be a part of Steve’s team.

It also helped that Adelyn Frost would be working closely with Steve and Bucky knew that Steve was sure perked up after finding out that Peggy Carter would be staying for a while, too. It seemed like the Brit had captured his friends heart and Bucky couldn’t blame him. She was quite the dame, _as Steve would say_.

Bucky sat at the bar and watched the door to see if AJ had made it yet.

Agent Carter had arrived and had stunned the room into silence.  _Including Steve._

Bucky was just waiting for his girl to show.

 _His_ girl.

If AJ ever heard him refer to her as that she’d smack him upside the head.

He sighed, ducking his head a bit when he saw that most of the men were heading out – most of them drunk. How long had he been sitting at this bar waiting? Steve and Peggy were still talking quietly in the corner and Bucky was left by himself nursing a drink and trying not to be too upset that AJ had stood him up. He looked at the door one last time before he downed his drink and paid the bartender.

It was clear that she wasn’t going to come and he was a damn fool to think she would.

Bucky got up from the bar stool and headed towards the door while catching Steve’s eyes, his friend gave him a sad smile and his eyes showed nothing but pity and concern - that was until he became distracted by Agent Carter again.

Bucky opened the door to the bar and walked out onto the street. He looked around the area to make sure that no cars were coming and took a step forward only to stop dead in his tracks when he saw that AJ was pacing across the street from him. From the looks of it, AJ was talking to herself while making gestures with her hand. He grinned wide and tried to hold back a chuckle while watching her. At one point, the woman Bucky was so enamored with stomped her foot down on the ground in frustration and pointed towards the bar without bothering to look in the buildings direction and continued on with the heated conversation she was having with herself.

He watched for a little while longer before he crossed the street and walked up behind her. He walked up just in time to hear AJ mutter under her breath,  _just go inside!_ He grinned and bit down on his lower lip before he spoke up. “Y’know,” Bucky said causing her to jump and spin around to face him. Her eyes were wide and her hand was pressed to her chest as she breathed in deeply, completely startled by Bucky in that moment. “You look like a mad woman out here debating whether or not to come inside and have a drink with me.” He grinned down at her.

She opened her mouth to argue with him, her brows furrowed in annoyance letting Bucky know that he had struck a nerve. Which, to be honest, only made his grin grow larger. AJ pressed her lips together and inhaled deeply, dropping her hand from her chest. “That was not what I was doing.” She said in a defiant tone when she looked up at him.

Bucky closed his eyes and his lips formed into a pucker while he nodded his head, making it clear for AJ to see that he did not believe her. When he opened his eyes again AJ was looking up at him and her green eyes seemed to be illuminating in the dark. Instead of teasing her anymore, Bucky smiled down at AJ. “Come inside and have a drink with me, Frosty.” He said to her as he held out his hand for her to hold onto.

Bucky saw that she needed a push forward to go inside the bar with him and that without it she'd likely turn on her heel with some excuse about having to work and head back to the base. 

Adelyn Frost was stubborn as Hell.

That’s what he loved about her.

So, if she needed a little push he’d give her a helping hand.

AJ looked hesitant as she took in a shaky breath but slowly placed her hand in his and let him guide her across the street and to the bar.

When they got inside, Bucky saw that Steve and Peggy were still sitting in the corner talking. But when the two of them saw that AJ was now next to Bucky holding onto his hand, both of their faces shined with relief as they smiled happily at the two of them.

He’d have to question Steve later why Agent Carter looked so relieved. But he noticed that she was not smiling at him - in fact, her smile was directed towards AJ. 

Bucky led AJ to the bar and pulled out the stool for her to sit on then gently pushed it closer to the bar once she was sitting on it, lingering behind her briefly when he caught the scent of her perfume.

He really enjoyed the mixed scent of vanilla and a hint of citrus that AJ always wore - even now while they were overseas. He had even smelt it on her when they were trying to escape from the Hydra base in Austria.

Bucky sat down on the stool next to her and signaled for the bartender to come back over.

He then looked down at AJ who was nervously playing with the curls in her hair. Bucky grinned as she continued to fidget. _She was nervous._ “Drink?” He asked her.

She nodded quickly and swallowed hard. “Bourbon, please.” She told the bartender.

Bucky raised his brows in surprise of her drink choice.  The bartender looked to Bucky next who shook his head at him. "Just the bourbon for her." Bucky let the man know that only AJ would be drinking this time.

AJ did not like that.

She turned in her chair to face him and narrowed her eyes at him in suspicion. “Why aren’t you drinking?” She asked him.

The way she was looking at him was enough to make Bucky want to laugh. “Because," He moved in his chair so that his body was facing hers as well. "I already drank my one drink while you were outside debating on coming in.” He smirked while watching as AJ shrugged off her jacket. Bucky took in the dress she had chosen to wear and smiled. It was a burgundy dress covered in polka dots with a low-cut bodice that hugged her tightly around her torso while the bottom flowed whenever she moved in the stool.

“I’m regretting my decision already.” She said under her breath causing Bucky to laugh and AJ to smile softly at him.

The bartender brought AJ her drink and Bucky pointed over to Steve saying; _“Put it on his tab.”_

AJ raised her eyebrows at him in amusement at his boldness.

“Technically it’s on my bunk mates." Bucky admitted. "They bet that you wouldn’t show. But on the off chance that you did show – your drinks would be going on the tab Steve opened.”

She nodded her head and picked up her drink. “A drink bought for me by the US Army and the SSR.” AJ said before taking a small sip of her drink. “Seeing as that’s technically who is paying for the tab seeing as Steve didn’t come to Italy with pockets full of cash." AJ explained. "So, in a way I suppose, I’m buying my own drink.” She then teased as she took another sip while batting her lashes at Bucky.

Bucky scrunched his face up and nodded his head. “I’m a cheap date.”

AJ raised one brow at that. “And who says that one drink is a date?” She asked him with an amused smile.

“Oh, I do.” Bucky grinned as he watched the way her green eyes lit up as she looked at him. He could see that something had changed with AJ. Well, when it came to him. They had been friends at Camp McCoy but she had never looked at him the way she was looking at him now. Bucky had actually first noticed the change in the way AJ looked at him that morning he had shipped off to England while they said their goodbyes.

But he had chalked that up to him being a masochist.

AJ set down her drink and looked at Bucky. “Well, then you’re right. You are a cheap date.” She grinned.

Bucky laughed at that and nodded his head in agreement.

They sat together while AJ had her one drink and Bucky listened as she talked on and on with excitement about the new materials she and Howard were working with to create a shield for Steve. The material she seemed to be the most excited about was something called _Vibranium._

“It’s unlike anything I’ve ever worked with before,” AJ continued to tell him. “Stronger than steel yet it weighs one third as much as actual steel does." AJ told him and Bucky grinned as she continued on. "Not to mention that shield is vibration-absorbent!” She exclaimed loudly with a laugh. Her drink was nearly finished but she had yet to pick it up to finish the remaining bits of alcohol. Bucky smiled as AJ looked around the bar only to see that it was nearly empty and that they were practically alone in the room. “How long have we been talking?” She asked him as her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. 

Steve and Peggy had already left and his friend had given Bucky a nod with stern look before leaving.

Bucky knew that look. It was Steve’s; _don’t do anything stupid,_ look.

Bucky got that look a lot back in Brooklyn when it came to women. 

But AJ was different. 

Bucky ignored AJ's question and instead asked her, “Do you want to dance?” AJ cocked her brow up again at Bucky in amusement. He smiled and stood up, offering out his hand again for her to grab.

_Just a little push._

Bucky watched as she swallowed hard while looking from him, down to his hand. AJ took in a deep breath before she grabbed her drink and downed the rest of the alcohol before she placed her hand down in his again while putting the now empty glass back on the bar.

Bucky smiled and led her to the room where only one couple was left dancing as the bartender now played the piano softly. AJ stood in front of him now while still holding onto his hand tightly. He stepped forward causing the woman in front of him to look up at him nervously. He grinned down at her as he placed his free hand on the small of her back and moved her closer to him so that they could begin their gentle sway to the music in the room.

AJ nerves seemed to ease after they began to move and her body relaxed relaxed completely. Her free hand moved up to rest on the back of his shoulder and Bucky smiled happily as she pressed the side of her face against his jacket. Bucky moved his head down so that his face was pressed against AJ's dark brown curls and inhaled deeply at the overwhelming feeling of holding her this close to him. They stayed holding onto to each other while dancing until they were the only ones left in the room. And it wasn’t until the bartender stopped playing the piano that Bucky realized the man was starting close the bar up for the night.

They pulled apart slowly and Bucky smiled as AJ looked up at him. Her eyes then dropping down to gaze at his lips and Bucky's heart felt like it would burst from his chest at any moment. He listened to her give into a heavy sigh before she looked up at him again, her tongue dashing across her lower lip before her eyes moved back down at his lips again.

And he panicked. 

He had wanted to kiss her for so long but...he couldn't move. 

Bucky cleared his throat and shifted a bit as he dropped his hands to his side. “We should get you back to base.” He told her.

AJ’s eyes grew wide in surprise at his words but she seemed to have quickly sobered up and nodded her head in agreement.

He walked her back to base and dropped her off at the science building - yet again failing to kiss her goodnight.

 _You fool!_ He yelled at himself as he walked to his bunker. _Damn fool!_

All Bucky had been thinking about since the first time he saw Adelyn Frost was kissing her and what it might be like and how soft her lips would feel against his own.

And when he had the opportunity to do it…he _froze._

Bucky was never going to hear the end of this from Steve or any of the other men he bunked with.

_Should’a kissed her, you jackass._

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

  

**November 5 th, 1943**

**London, England**

 

 

** AJ **

 

 

 

 

 

He didn’t kiss her.

Bucky Barnes: a man who had been trying to ‘woo’ her since the very first day they met had not kissed her: Adelyn Frost.

She was a genius - smarter than most people her age and some older but for the life of her, she could not figure out why James Buchanan Barnes did not kiss her the night before. She had stayed awake most of the night going over everything and could not come up with a reason as to why Bucky hadn’t kissed her. She had given him all the signals that she wanted him to kiss him and he... _hadn't_!

Which left her feeling incredibly angry.

And Howard, unfortunately, suffered the brute of her anger.

“I thought you had a date last night - why the hell are you in such a mood?” He asked after AJ had snapped at him for something that did not warrant the hostility he had received.

“It wasn’t a date.” AJ said as she tested out Steve’s new shield. Howard held onto it while AJ swung at it with a large piece of steel. (It was a good way to get her anger out.)

“Yes, I’m becoming very aware of that now given how hard you are swinging at me - hey, watch it!” He said in a high pitched tone when AJ hit too closely at him and had to jump a bit away to avoid getting hit.

“One might _think_ ,” swing. “-when a person asks another person out for _drinks_ ,” harder swing. “That might imply that it was a _date_!” She huffed as she swung at the shield again. It didn’t even have a scratch on it. AJ set down on the piece of steel and walked over to the lab table and began to write in Howard's journals.

_Log 327: ~~Steel~~ – no damage to shield. _

She set the pen down and turned back to face Howard and leaned against the desk. He gave her a sympathetic smile and set the shield down. “You wanna talk, kid?” He asked.

AJ shook her head. _No._ She did not want to talk about it. What she really wanted to do was take the piece of steel she had been using earlier and whack Bucky over the head with it. And if she were to talk about it with _anyone_ – that person would  _not_  be Howard.

She loved the man as if he was one of her brothers - but that was the point! AJ wouldn't feel comfortable discussing the fact that she was upset that Bucky hadn't kissed her to Sam so she really didn't want to have to discuss it with Howard. It was too humiliating.

“Oh, come on, Frost. I won’t make fun, I promise. And if I do, you can tell everyone about how you walked in on me this morning getting tossed into a wall by the alpha and beta rays of the cartridge Steve picked up in the Hydra factory.”

Now that had been quite the scene to walk in on. And after running to Howard to make sure he was okay AJ felt her sour mood soften for only a moment as she laughed at his wild expression. But as they continued to work with the different shields her mood soured once again. And AJ knew that if she didn't talk about it with  _someone_ that her mood would only worsen and she wouldn't be able to concentrate on anything today. 

So, AJ swallowed her pride and decided to tell Howard why she was upset. “We had a drink.” Howard nodded along as he listened. “We danced.”

“Sounding more and more like a date.”

AJ then groaned in annoyance. “But he didn’t kiss me. Not even at the end of the night!”

Howard slowly tilted his head to the side as he gave AJ an amused look. “You’re mad…because Barnes didn’t kiss you goodnight?”

She huffed at his tone. “Well when you put it that way-” AJ started to say only to have Howard interrupt her.

“Why the Hell didn’t _you_ kiss _him_?” Howard walked over to where AJ stood.

She moved her hands to rest on her hips and glared at Howard. “Well…because!” It wasn’t the best answer. But it was what came fumbling out of AJ’s mouth.

He chuckled at her response. “You know, for someone who calls me a misogynist for all the women I sleep with you - you sure do have a double standard when it comes to who should make the first move, Frost.”

 _Damn him._ Howard was right.

“Rogers will be here soon." He told AJ as he walked over to her and took off her protective glasses and set them down on the table. "I can handle showing him all the material on my own." AJ wanted to protest but didn't. She only shrugged off her lab coat and headed towards the door. "Just do me a favor and go find Barnes before you start swinging at me again.” He hollered at her.

AJ narrowed her eyes at him as she looked over her shoulder. “Don’t tempt me.” She threatened before walking out of the room.

On her way out she passed Peggy who looked just as annoyed as AJ felt with Steve hurrying after her. He gave AJ a look, almost pleading for her to help him – but she was a woman on a mission.

And then Bucky walked into the science building and her confidence vanished and she froze. She felt absolutely ridiculous when her first thought upon seeing Bucky was to hide, but it was too late to hide because she was in plain sight and Bucky had most definitely seen her do a little pivot when she saw him walk in.

He smiled and walked over to her and AJ took in a deep breath of reassurance. “What can I do for you, James?” She asked him once he was standing in front of her. 

He raised a brow at that. “James?” Bucky chuckled nervously. “What’s with the formalities?”

_Really?_

He couldn’t honestly be that dimwitted! How could he not know why she was angry right now?

She cocked her head to the side and crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a very obvious look.

Bucky then frowned. “Are you upset with me?” He asked her and took a step closer to her, hand reaching for her arm only to have her step away from him.

She then laid on the sarcasm pretty thick when she spoke up again. “-Of course not, James.”

He grinned at her sarcasm and was clearly amused now more than concerned given the way he was looking at her. “Yeah, I can see that.” He crossed his arms over his chest, mirroring her posture. “What’s going on, Jay?”

_Seriously?!_

“Nothing, James.” AJ huffed and then turned her back to him and headed back into the restricted area where soldier were not permitted to follow.

But apparently those rules didn’t apply to Bucky because he followed after her.

“Will you quit it with that!” Bucky said as he chased after her. “You haven’t called me James since Camp McCoy and you didn’t exactly like me back then.” He continued to follow after her and past all the scientists who watched in confusion as Bucky chased after one of their lead scientists who, by the way, looked more than a little angry that he was doing so.

“Maybe I never stopped disliking you.” She said over her shoulder as she headed to her own private quarters where she knew she wouldn’t be bothered.

“I don’t believe that.” Bucky said as he quickly slid through the door before AJ could shut the door on his face. She turned to face him and raised her brows up as a challenge when he said; “Otherwise you wouldn’t have gone on a date with me last night.”

She let out a bark of a laugh. “That was not a _date_.” AJ disagreed.

Bucky crossed his arms over his chest again and walked forward, invading AJ's space. “Oh, it wasn’t?” He said back to her. “Why not?”

AJ glared up at him and words she really didn't want to be saying began to blurt out of her mouth. “-Because! If it was, you would have-” She stopped herself as she looked up at Bucky and couldn't help it when her eyes began to linger on his lips yet again as they had the night before.

Howard was right.

A woman could make the first move.

So she did.

AJ moved forward and Bucky’s arms dropped from his chest and his hands settled on her hips the second AJ pressed her lips to his in a kiss. It had clearly taken him by surprise but he happily responded to her kiss. It was soft, and sweet, and everything AJ could have ever dreamt a first kiss being like. His lips moved like magic against her own AJ found herself moving her arms around his shoulders to circle around his neck as Bucky pulled her closer to his body and moved his head to the side to deepen the kiss.

It was like seeing fireworks for the first time.

So completely amazed that something so beautiful was happening right in front of your eyes that your stomach was bursting as you watch the colorful lights fill the sky.

There had been fireworks at Howard's expo. They had been going off over her head when AJ had seen Bucky talking to Steve at the recruiting station. The bright sky had made it easier for her to see him that night.

_Fireworks._

That’s what she felt.

AJ opened her mouth and hummed softly when Bucky’s tongue touched the tip of her own causing her nails to gently scrape at the back of his neck as they continued to kiss.

Kissing Bucky Barnes was so much more addictive than any type of sweets AJ had ever tasted.

And when she finally managed to pull away, AJ didn’t move her arms off of Bucky’s shoulders. The young woman just looked up at him and took in a deep breath before speaking again. “You would have done _that_ at the end of the night if it was a date.” AJ said in a whisper.

Bucky was smiling and his eyes locked with hers and AJ felt the fireworks again. “I’ll remember that next time.” He licked at his lower lip and AJ wanted nothing more than to melt in his arms in that moment.

But she was still upset with him. “Who says there will be a next time?” She asked and dropped her arms from around his neck.

He smiled and tugged her body back to his, kissing her again before she could start to argue with him. His hand cupped her cheek while her hands rested against his chest, eventually fisting the fabric after giving into the kiss. Bucky's lips twitched up into a smile when she started kissing him back which caused AJ to smile as well against his lips. When Bucky pulled his lips away from hers slowly AJ found herself trying to follow after his lips and tugging at his shirt to pull him back to her.

“Come with us on our missions.” Bucky said causing AJ to look up at him in confusion. She blinked in surprise and Bucky smiled down at her. “Because I am finally holding you in my arms again, Adelyn Frost, and I can’t imagine ever letting you go again.”

“I can’t-” She started to say only to have him cut her off with another kiss. “You can’t just,” And another kiss and she smiled against his lips. “That’s not fair-” More kisses, much softer this time. Bucky nudged his nose with hers before he pulled away from her again and AJ sighed as she gripped onto his uniform and smiled softly up at Bucky. “I suppose Howard could come up with some reason for me needing to go with you all and not heading back to base in London.” She whispered while fiddling with the buttons on his shirt.

Bucky grinned and she felt herself melting again at his radiant smile.

Bucky pressed his forehead against hers and wrapped his arms around her waist. “I’m sorry I didn’t kiss you last night.” He spoke softly. “I should have – I just…I’ve been wanting to kiss you for so damn long now and when I finally had my chance to do it I…got scared.” He admitted.

“Why?” She asked him while letting him hold her.

He let out a nervous laugh, “Because I’m crazy about ya, Jay. And I tend to screw up good things in my life.” AJ frowned at his words and stood up on the tips of her toes to press her hand to Bucky’s cheek softly and interrupted him with a lingering kiss.

She hoped that the kiss could convey just how much she cared for him, too, without her having to say it out loud.

Because he wasn't the only one who was scared.

When AJ was with Frank she hadn’t known how she felt or didn’t feel until it was too late.

But AJ had known for quite some time that her feeling for Bucky weren’t just platonic. She had romantic feelings for him that were on the verge of…dare she ever admit it, _love._ She had just been too damn stubborn to give into those feelings.

She pulled away and Bucky was looking down at her as he tried to catch his breath after their last kiss.

She pressed her index finger to the dimple on his chin, “You still owe me a dinner.” AJ said with a little smile as she let go of Bucky and gently pressed her hands to his chest again as she led him to the door until he was standing on the other side of it. She watched as Bucky grinned like a damn fool as she slowly shut the door on him and locked it so that he couldn't come back inside.  _She did have work to do!_

AJ pressed one hand to her chest as she leaned against the door and felt the way her chest moved up and down as her heart beat so loudly she could hear the pulse in her ears. She slowly moved two fingers to her lips that Bucky had just been kissing and grinned.

_Fireworks._

Who would have known that taking Howard's advice would be so rewarding?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

  

**December 25 th, 1943**

**Zurich, Switzerland**

 

 

** STEVE **

 

 

 

 

It was Christmas.

The Howling Commandos had just finished their latest mission and were settled back at the base in Zurich. Howard and AJ had been there waiting for them and Steve saw the look of relief show clearly on AJ’s face when they all came back unscathed. She had gone to Bucky first to examine him saying that she needed to see him in the medical bay to make sure that he was okay. Odd how Bucky had been to only one of the Howling Commandos to receive such special attention. 

Bucky and AJ were together now.

They weren’t _telling_ anyone they were together – Steve included. But they were together.

It was pretty obvious.

He could see it from the way they looked at each other and the gentle touches they shared when they thought no one was watching them.

Steve was happy for them, truly. Steve didn’t mind that they were keeping their relationship private. He felt no ill will towards his best friends. He was just happy that they were finally together. He knew how hard AJ had been fighting against her feelings for Bucky. Be it out of guilt because Frank or just AJ being the stubborn woman she was - but she had finally pulled her head out of her ass and allowed herself to feel something for Bucky and that the guilt she carried from not loving Frank was no longer stopping her from being happy. And he was glad that Bucky was finally with the girl of his dreams

On this Christmas night Steve had seen the two of them walking outside together in the snow with their hands linked as they spoke softly to the other. He had stayed hidden where they wouldn’t see him not wanting to ruin their private time by getting noticed and then having to be their third wheel.

He had smiled when he saw Bucky stop in front of AJ and pulled something out of his coat pocket to give her. AJ had laughed after she opened it and looked up at Bucky who was grinning down at her. She moved up a bit to stand on her tip toes and pressed her hand to Bucky’s face before leaning in to meet him in a kiss.

He had smiled and headed back inside only to look over his shoulder when he heard AJ let out a squeal of a laugh and saw Bucky picking her up in a hug, spinning them around in circles.

Steve was happy for them and found himself making a Christmas wish that night. A wish that AJ and Bucky would have many more Christmas’ together where they were just as happy as they were on this night.

He walked back to his private quarters that were near AJ’s and went inside his room, leaving his door open just a crack as then got in bed and began to sketch what he had just seen.

That’s when he heard them making their way to AJ’s room.

 _“Y’know, I still think it’s a bit unfair that you have your own sleeping quarters while I have to share mine with a bunch of snoring men.”_ Steve heard Bucky comment.

 _“Oh, is that so?”_ AJ’s voice was light and teasing.

_“Mmhm,”_

There was a moment of silence and Steve figured they must have been kissing. But his ears perked up when he heard AJ speak up again.

 _“You could always bunk with Steve.”_ She suggested causing Steve to give into a little snort of a laugh.

 _“As much as I love Steve - I’d rather bunk with you, sweetheart.”_ Bucky said in a chuckle.

 _“Well, that is just out of the realm of possibilities, Sarge.”_ AJ said with a little giggle that made Steve smile.

There was silence again for a long moment - long enough to make Steve get up from his bed to go out and make sure they were okay.

They were more than okay.

The two pulled apart for air and AJ fisted the fabric of Bucky’s shirt while she had one hand on the doorknob to her room and opened the door. _“Steve wakes up before sunrise every morning to train – you need to be gone before he’s up.”_ She kissed him again and pulled him forward to follow her.

_“I know, I know.”_

Steve decided to give those two some time together and headed towards the lab where he knew Howard would be awake.

“Rogers!” Howard said when he walked through the doors. “What’s got you up so late?” He asked.

“Just felt like going for a walk.” Steve said with a small shrug.

Howard chuckled, knowing somehow that Steve was lying. “Mmmhm,” He chuckled and then motioned for Steve to sit down. The man brought a Steve a glass that he filled up with scotch. They both knew that alcohol wouldn’t affect him the way it would any other person – but it was a kind gesture. And then Howard said something that made Steve choke as he attempted to swallow his drink. “AJ’s got Bucky in her room again, doesn’t she?”

Steve looked at Howard with wide eyes while trying to settle down and wipe away the bit of alcohol that he dribbled down his chin. “W-what? No! Why would you-” He stammered out as he set down the glass Howard had given him.

Howard laughed loudly and took a seat cross from Steve. “Relax, Rogers. Those two aren’t exactly covert when it comes to hiding their relationship.” He added and Steve narrowed his eyes and that man. “-and I was _not_ implying that anything was happening in that room other than sleep. My sleeping quarters are right next to AJ's so get your head out of the gutter.”

“Alright, enough!” Steve raised his hand not wanting Howard to go any further into detail.

“It’s not the first time she’s snuck him into her room." Howard said surprising Steve. "They spend most of their time talking and after a while I hear someone snoring. And I know that Adelyn does not snore.”

“How long have you known?” Steve asked Howard and picked up his glass of scotch again and sipped at it.

“A few weeks now.” Howard swallowed his drink. “Not that they have told me.” He said with a scoff. “Do you know that I have been trying to get AJ to admit she has feelings for Barnes for months now! Ever since she said goodbye to him at the docks when he shipped out to England.”

Steve smiled as he looked down at his hands. “I think Bucky’s been in love with Jay from the moment they first met. He never had a woman shut down his advances so fast. God, he would _not_ shut up about her for weeks afterwards.”

“Things finally fell into its place for them. It’s fate, I’ll tell ya.” Howard chuckled.

“Fate?” Steve echoed, chuckling lightly.

Howard laughed, “Oh don’t tell me you don’t believe in fate either? AJ, I can understand, she’s a scientist. But you’re a man of faith! You gotta believe that someone has been pulling some strings for those two!”

Steve thought on it for a moment and smiled. “I suppose in some circumstances…fate could be real.”

“Thank you!” Howard laughed.

Fate or not. Steve was just glad his friends were together and happy.

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

  

**December 22 nd, 1944**

**Poland**

 

** AJ **

 

 

 

 

“What’s goin’ on in that beautiful brain of yours, Jay?”

She looked up from her food rations at Bucky who was smiling at her. But the worry was evident in his eyes when he reached across the table to hold her hand.

It had been a little over a year since they first got together. A year full of happiness that AJ had never felt in her life before.

Only the closest people around them knew that they were together: Steve, Howard, Peggy, and the Howling Commandos. But if anyone high up in the SSR caught wind of their relationship, AJ would be shipped off to a different base – or worse; back to the states.

AJ squeezed his hand feeling safe in the private quarters she shared with Steve and Howard who were both conveniently away for the evening. (Something she had worked out with the both of them.) She felt safe. Right here, right now, with Bucky. That’s all she should feel.

But something in her gut was telling her that something was wrong – or that something was about to go horribly wrong.

And the blissful year they spent together became something terrifying to her.

Because she was terrified of losing him.

It had started in the morning when she had woken up to a terrible feeling in her heart and desperate need to be near Bucky. AJ wanted to be with him in a way that she hadn’t before - a way she had wanted to be with him for quite some time but was too scared to make the move. _You’re going to lose him,_ the little voice in the back of her head told her as her gut ached.

She had woken Howard and Steve up and told them, _“We are all adults here.”_ Before she explained to them why she would need her privacy with Bucky tonight. Steve’s cheeks had turned a dark shade of red and Howard had laughed while clapping his hands and made a; _It’s about damn time,_ comment.

Howard's parting gift for the night was still hidden away in her dresser drawer. _Use it, kid. No one want to have a baby in the middle of a warzone._

It had made her smile briefly. But she was too in her mind with the fear she had of losing Bucky.

But even now in Bucky’s company, she only felt dread. Dread of what was bound to come – _no,_ she was not dreading finally having sex with Bucky, she was really, really looking forward to that. She felt dread for the morning when he would leave with Steve and the rest of the Howling Commandos.

“You’ve hardly touched your food,” Bucky commented. “And you have spoken maybe two full sentences to me since I’ve gotten here which is something that _never_ happens.” He smirked.

AJ frowned and twisted the bracelet made of yarn that Bucky had given to her last Christmas around her wrist. She had laughed when he said he had to barter for the yarn from a little girl; “ _She hustled me,”_ Bucky had said causing AJ to laugh yet again before standing up on her tiptoes to kiss him. _I love it._ She had told him before she let Bucky slide the yarn bracelet onto her wrist.

 _“Y’know, most girls would see gift giving as a way for the guy to ask them to go steady.”_ Bucky had given her a lazy smirk as he looked down at her.

 _“Yes, well I am not most girls.”_ She had teased him. He playfully narrowed his eyes at her and continued to hold her hand, thumb rubbing against her skin. _“But I suppose if you were asking me to go steady with you…I’d say yes.”_

Bucky had picked her up and spun her around as she laughed so hard that tears fell down her cheeks.

“Do you believe in fate?” She asked, her mind going back to what Howard had said a couple of months ago. He had called Bucky and AJ constantly being thrown in the same place _fate._ AJ had said it was simply a coincidence. “-Or _signs?_ ” She asked next. “Or maybe even destiny?” AJ finally said.

“Um,” He pushed his tray away from him. “I haven’t given it too much thought, to be honest. Why?” His voice was full of concern.

“Since I was a little girl I knew I wanted to work in science. It fascinated me and it was all I ever thought about.” She told him. “So, I believe in science. I believe in what I can see right in front of me and what I can feel or touch – because that’s all I’ve ever known. I don’t believe in fate or destiny or signs…but-” AJ shook her head and moved one hand to cover her eyes in embarrassment.

Bucky squeezed her hand. “Talk to me.” His voice was quiet.

She moved her hand away from her eyes and placed it on the top of Bucky’s hand. “I’m scared.” AJ finally admitted out loud.

“Of what?”

“Fate, destiny, the _unknown._ ” She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. “I have this horrible feeling that something is going to happen tomorrow.”

Bucky sighed and let go of AJ’s hand so that he could get up and walk over to AJ. He got down on his knee and looked up at her and saw the tears in her eyes. He grabbed her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles and whispered against them, “Nothing is gonna happen.” He promised her.

“How can you know?” She said in a whisper as she looked down at him.

“I don’t.” He admitted and looked back up at AJ. “War is unpredictable but I am choosing to believe that in a week I’ll be holding you in my arms again when you get back from London.”

“But you don’t know that!” AJ argued.

“-You know what I do know?” Bucky interrupted her. “What I do know is that I love you Adelyn Frost.” He told her and then pressed another kiss to her knuckles.

Of course she loved Bucky.

Maybe she had all along.

She felt her entire body warm and relax after he said those words and she smiled softly down at Bucky. “That’s the first time you’ve ever said that to me.” AJ whispered.

He grinned. “Didn’t want to scare ya’ off.” Bucky teased.

She smiled and shook her head at him before saying, “I love you too.” As she said the words AJ felt her eyes filling with tears. “ _So_ much.” She had to close her eyes and look away briefly to let the tears fall as she hid her face from Bucky.

“Then why are you crying?” Bucky asked as he stood up, bringing her up with him and pulling her into his arms.

She buried her face against his chest. “Because I’m scared.” She said again as her hands moved to his back, gripping onto the fabric of his shirt tightly. “I love you and I’m terrified that something is going to happen to you tomorrow and that I’ll lose you forever.”

“Hey, hey,” Bucky moved his hands to AJ’s shoulders, stepping back so he could look into her eyes. “You will never lose me.” He swore to her. “Even if I do die – I’ll crawl out of my grave to come back on home to you, Frosty.”

She turned her face again after he said that, “-Don’t joke about that, Buck.” He moved his finger under her chin and locked eyes with her again. He wiped away her tears and moved forward slowly and pressed his lips to hers in a sweet kiss. When he pulled away from her, AJ sniffled, “You can’t just kiss all my worries away.” AJ said with a sad smile.

“I can try.” He kissed her again.

But when he pulled away this time AJ had grabbed at the collar of his shirt and brought his lips back to hers in a needy kiss that neither of them broke until their breathing had turned into pants. AJ walked backwards and pulled Bucky along with her to her bedroom as their lips found the others again in a series of needy kisses.

Bucky pulled away when they were finally at her door and looked down at AJ, “We don’t have to,” He whispered and then inhaled sharply as AJ fiddled with his belt buckle with shaky hands. But AJ had already pushed the door open with the back of her heel and lead them inside her room. “Jay, we don’t have-”

She was the one to interrupt him with a kiss now. She smiled against his lips as they continued to walk further into her bedroom. “Get out of your head, Barnes.” She whispered to him before they fell onto her bed.

Bucky took a moment to look down at AJ while running his fingers through her hair. “I love you so much.” He said in a whisper.

“I love you too, James Buchanan Barnes. Always.”

And she meant it. Adelyn Frost would always love Bucky Barnes.

There was absolutely no changing that.

Time or distance – it didn’t matter.

She’d love him forever.

Until her dying breath.

Afterwards as well.

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

**December 23 nd, 1944**

**Poland**

  

** BUCKY **

 

 

 

 

 

He had woken up before AJ had. The sound of Steve and Howard returning to their rooms had woken him from his slumber. Bucky leaned over AJ a bit to grab his watch from the nightstand only to have her move her face into the crook of his neck in protest. 

“Mmm,” AJ whined after waking up from Bucky’s movement.

“Shhh, go back to sleep.” He whispered and pressed a kiss to her temple as he rubbed down her arm, fingers grazing against her skin.

She, of course, didn’t listen and moved herself until she was on top of him and pulled the covers over their naked bodies while grinning down at Bucky causing him to smile as well. “Stay.” She drew out the word in a whisper and pressed her lips down on his in a lazy kiss. He chuckled and kissed her back. “Come on, we still have one left.” She wiggled against Bucky causing him to groan.

“Sweetheart, you’re killin’ me.” He told her. AJ gave him a wicked grin that made him shake his head as he tore the sheets off of their heads and he looked over to the night stand, pointing at the leftover wrapper from the night before. “Give Howard my thanks for letting you borrow some of his stash.” He grinned and kissed her before he rolled them so he was on top of her. When he was looking down at her he saw now that she frowning, her brows knitted together and Bucky knew that she was overthinking again and he would need to reassure her that everything would be just fine. “I’ll see you again, Jay.” Bucky said while running his fingers through her hair. “I swear I will.”

AJ continued to frown though. “You better.” She moved forward and kissed him.

And just as he began to lose himself, completely intoxicated by the woman under him, there was pounding on the door causing Bucky to pull away and groan.

 _“Get up, Bucky! We leave in ten minutes!”_ Steve yelled from the hallway.

Bucky shook his head as he looked at the door and then looked back down at AJ who had a terrified look in her eyes. She sighed and moved her hands to rest on his face so he was looking her in the eyes. “Please just be careful, Bucky.” She whispered.

“I will.” He said with a nod and kissed her again before he got up and began to dress.

AJ did the same and put her dress back on from the night before and then walked over to where Bucky stood at the door once he was done changing.

Bucky watched as her lower lip began to quiver. “I love you.” Her eyes filled with tears again as her voice rasped.

He smiled sadly, trying to hide his own worry and pressed a kiss to her forehead before pulling away from her slowly, knowing that if he didn't let go of her now, he never would. He smiled down at her and then Bucky pointed towards the dresser where one wrapper was left. “Save that for when I get back.” That had made AJ laugh which is all he wanted to hear before he left. He kissed her one last time before he walked out the door.

He was halfway down the hall when he heard AJ saying his name. He looked over his shoulder, trying to ignore the feeling of dread he now felt as well.

“Come home to me, Buck.”

He took in a shaky breath and forced a smile. “Always.” _I love you,_ her mouthed to her.

It took all the strength he had to turn back around and head out to meet with the rest of the team.

When he got to Steve, his best friend squeezed his shoulder. “Don’t worry, Jay will be fine on her own.” Steve must have seen the worry in his eyes.

But Bucky wasn’t afraid that something would happen to AJ while he was gone. He was afraid he wouldn’t be making it home to her.

A long time ago he learned to trust AJ’s gut. But his own gut told him that he couldn’t leave Steve – that he _needed_ to be his backup.

Maybe there was such thing as fate or destiny, he didn’t know.

But Bucky would listen to his gut.

There was one thing that Bucky did know for sure and that was that when AJ came back from London, he was going to ask her to marry him.

_Adelyn Juliet Barnes._

It had a nice ring to it.

But she’d always be his Frosty.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh dang! Second to last chapter! I hope you guys enjoyed it! Kudos and comments are always appreciated!


	22. twenty-one

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to take a moment to thank the original author, **TheOCArchitect** , who created this amazing character and story! And, of course, I have to thank her for passing me the torch to finish the story! I love this character so much and I hope that you all loved her as well!
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> [AJ FROST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35550753)  
> [OC MASTERLIST](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322590/chapters/35551293)

 

  

 

* * *

 

 **February 3rd, 1945**  
**London, England**

** AJ **

 

 

 

They had been halfway to London when Colonel Phillips radioed them telling Howard to turn the plane around and get back to base camp in Poland.

_She knew._

Howard had looked over at her with remorseful eyes; _they both knew._

AJ had voiced her worries to Howard, who had been trying hard to ease her nerves for the first half of the flight. He would tell AJ that Bucky Barnes was too damn stubborn to ever get taken down by Hydra. (Again.) That nothing would stop him from coming home to her.

For a while, she hadn’t felt any worry. Not since saying goodbye to Bucky. She and Howard were going over their presentation when suddenly her stomach dropped and her eyes swelled with tears. The fireworks that had gone off in her stomach each time she thought of Bucky were gone. Her heart ached and her stomach only felt hollow. Time seemed to have slowed down and Howard's voice slowly became soft background noise.

The song that had played in the car when she and Howard dropped Bucky off at the docks had begun to play in her head head and a vision of Bucky's beautiful blue eyes closing left her feeling numb. Everything felt cold. There was no more warmth left in her.

She felt frozen.

That’s when she knew something terrible had happened.

It was forty-five minutes later that Phillips finally radioed them and told Howard to turn the plane back around.

Howard had opened his mouth to speak but shut it and instead grabbed AJ’s hand and gave it a tight squeeze.

The Howling Commandos were able to capture Arnim Zola who was then brought back to London to be questioned by Colonel Phillips.

**42 Days.**

Forty-two days since Bucky fell off the train and went missing.

_Missing._

That’s what AJ kept telling herself.

Steve had been tirelessly telling AJ that there was no way that Bucky could have survived the fall but she refused to listen.

She had gone down to where Bucky had fallen with Steve and searched every day for two weeks for any sign of Bucky.

But there wasn’t anything.

_Nothing._

He was just gone.

And just as she had started to lose hope on their fourteenth day of search and rescue, AJ had found his dog tags sticking out of the snow.

She started digging. AJ had dug and dug trying to find him, her hands were raw and bloody from the harsh cold from the snow but she wouldn’t stop. Steve had tried to grab her but she had pushed him away and grabbed at her friends shield to dig now, shoveling deep into the snow to try and find the man she loved.

 _“Jay, please.”_ Steve’s voice was thick with tears just completely broken.

It wasn’t until Howard and the others came that AJ finally stopped digging.

 _“He wouldn’t want this, kid.”_ Howard had said as he pulled her away from Steve’s shield.

They went back to base and Bucky’s dog tags hung around AJ's neck.  _She'd give them back to him when they found him._

But Steve called of search and rescue that night. _“You can’t do that, Steve! He’s alive!”_ She argued with him.

 _“No, he’s not.”_ Steve tried to tell her while trying to be strong.

She had pushed Steve hard in the chest. _“How can you give up?!”_ She had yelled at him as she pounded her fists against his chest. _“Bucky would never give up on you!”_ AJ said angrily. _“I will never forgive you for this!”_ She shouted at him before locking herself in her private quarters.

Phillips had assigned her to the London base after her outburst against Steve.

She hadn’t seen him since that day.

AJ pressed Bucky’s dog tags against her chest above her heart and watched from the next room with Peggy as Phillips integrated Zola.

 _“What is this?”_ Zola asked when Phillips put a tray of food in front of him.

_“Steak.”_

Zola looked worried. _“What is in it?”_

 _“Cow.”_ Chester replied nonchalantly. _“Doctor, do you realize how difficult it is to get a hold of a prime cut like that here?”_

 _“I don’t eat meat.”_ Zola told Phillips.

_“Why not?”_

_“It disagrees with me.”_

_“-How about cyanide? Does that give you the rumbly tummy too?”_ He mocked the scientist. Phillips turned the tray around and began to cut into the meat. _“Every Hydra agent that we’ve tried to take alive has crunched a little pill before we can stop him. But not you. So, here’s my brilliant theory.”_

AJ watched as Phillips took a bite of the steak.

_“You wanna live.”_

_“You’re trying to intimidate me, Colonel.”_

Phillips shrugged. _“I bought you dinner.”_ He then passed a piece of paper over to Zola, and the man read it out loud.

“ _Given the variable information he has provided, and in exchange for his full cooperation, Zola is being remanded to Switzerland.”_ Zola said in confusion.

 _“I sent that message to Washington this morning. Of course, it’s encoded. You guys haven’t broken those codes, have you? That would be awkward.”_ Phillips drew out the word.

 _“Schmidt will know this is a lie.”_ Zola said back to Chester.

_“He’s gonna kill you anyway, Doc. You’re a liability. You know more about Schmidt than anyone. And that last guy you cost us was Captain Rogers closest friend. Someone very dear to all of us.”_

AJ closed her eyes and began to breathe in and out, trying and calm herself as she kept her hand pressed against the dog tags she wore. AJ felt Peggy’s hand pressed to her shoulder, squeezing it lightly and was able to pull herself back together.

 _“-So, I wouldn’t count on the very best of protection.”_ Phillips told Zola. _“There’s you or Schmidt. It’s just the hand you’ve been dealt.”_

It took Zola a minute before he started speaking again. _“Schmidt believes he walks in the foot steps of Gods.”_

_“Mmm.”_

_“Only the world itself will satisfy him.”_

Phillips pointed his steak knife at Zola. _“You do realize that’s nuts, don’t you?”_

 _“But the sanity of the plan is of no consequence.”_ Zola told Phillips.

_“And why is that?”_

_“Because he can do it!”_

_“What’s his target?”_

_“His target…”_ Zola began to lean forward. “ _Is everywhere.”_

AJ looked to Peggy who nodded, they needed to get word to Steve.

It would be Peggy.

That’s who Steve would want with him while he was grieving.

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

** STEVE **

 

 

 

 

The bar where Steve had asked Bucky to fight with him against Hydra and where he had enlisted all of the Howling Commandos had been destroyed by the bombs. He sat at a table and held onto a glass full of alcohol. Steve looked over at the bar where Bucky and AJ had once sat happily.

That was destroyed too.

Everything was destroyed.

And Steve couldn’t even get properly drunk to numb the pain.

Steve listened to the man on the radio speak; “ _Blackout is still in effect throughout the London area. Please wait for the all-clear. Your attention, please. All citizens shall remain indoors until further notice. Blackout is still in effect throughout the London area.”_

Steve heard footsteps and looked over his shoulder to see who was there.

_Peggy._

He poured himself more of the scotch. “Dr. Erskine said that…the serum wouldn’t just effect my muscles, it would effect my cells. Create a protective system of regeneration and healing. Which mean that I can’t get drunk.” He looked at Peggy who now stood in front of him. “Did you know that?”

“Your metabolism burns four times faster than the average person.” Peggy grabbed a chair and sat across the table from Steve. “He thought it could be one of the side effects.”

Steve looked away from Peggy who was now only a blur through his tears.

“It wasn’t your fault.” She said softly and Steve knew what she was talking about.

“Did you read the reports?”

“Yes.”

He huffed and shook his head a bit. “Then you know that’s not true.”

“You did everything you could.” Peggy told him. He didn’t reply to her, he only avoided her eyes. “Did you believe in your friend? Did you respect him?” Steve looked up at Peggy; _yes._ “Then you stop blaming yourself. Allow Barnes the dignity of his choice. He damn well must have thought you were worth it.”

Steve wiped his eyes. “Tell that to AJ.” Peggy sighed at his words. “I’m going after Schmidt.” He told Peggy. “And I’m not gonna stop until all of Hydra is dead or captured.”

“You won’t be alone.” Peggy promised him.

Steve looked to Peggy and took another swig of his drink and then sniffed. “How is she?” He asked.

Peggy frowned. “Putting on a brave face.” She admitted. “But she could really use her friend right about now.”

Steve closed his eyes and set his drink down on the table and stood up. Peggy got up as well and followed Steve when he left the bar.

He couldn’t save Bucky.

But AJ was still alive and she needed her friend.

Even if she hated him for the rest of their lives for not being able to save Bucky – he’d still be there for her.

He owed her that much.

And he owed Bucky too.

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

  

 **February 4th, 1945**  
**London, England**  

** AJ **

 

 

 

 

It was gone.

The tiny ember of hope that Bucky was out there alive had slowly disappeared.

There were days after the accident that AJ just _knew_ he was alive. That he was still  out there.

But each day that passed by left her feeling hopeless and alone.

She missed Bucky.

She missed the fireworks.

And she missed Steve.

AJ knew she needed to apologize to Steve. She knew that it would be what Bucky would do, and what he would want her to do.

Her friendship with Steve was important to her. Hell, she had been friends with Steve longer than her friendship with Bucky – and romance, later on. Bucky wouldn’t want them to be fighting, he wouldn’t want his death to be the reason her friendship with Steve ended.

AJ closed her eyes and took in a deep breath.

_Death._

He was gone.

And she was alone.

AJ looked over her shoulder when she felt a pair of eyes on her.

_Steve._

Of course, it was Steve. AJ couldn’t help but let out a little laugh at the fact that somehow Steve had shown up just when she needed him most.

She turned in her chair to face him. “I’m sorry.” AJ said in a whisper.

Steve took in a shaky breath. “You don’t need to apologize to me.”

“I do,” She disagreed as she stood up from her seat and walked over to her friend. “You didn’t deserve that – I just…” She looked up at the ceiling and took in a deep breath to stop herself from crying.

“I miss him too.” Steve finished for her. “And I know how much you loved him,”

“I still do.” AJ told Steve. “And I always will.” She swore. “And God, he would hate me for how I have been treating you.” She sniffed as she laughed a little.

Steve smiled and shook his head in disagreement. “He could never hate you, Jay. He fell in love with you the very second he saw you.”

She laughed at that and thought back on that day. “He was so arrogant.” AJ wiped away a tear.

“Did he ever tell you about the picture?” Steve asked and AJ raised her brows while shaking her head. That made Steve grin. “It was Christmas,” Steve told her. “And Bucky was over at my house – we were just sitting around after breakfast and Bucky had _tried_ ,” He laughed after stressing the word, “-Now, Bucky was not the best artist but he uh,” Steve chuckled, “He tried to draw you.”

He did? AJ felt something that resembled the fireworks that went off in her stomach whenever Bucky would kiss her. “Really?” AJ smiled through the tears.

“ _Cherry red lips. Dark brown curls. Striking green eyes. Mole on the right cheek,_ ” Steve tried to imitate Bucky. “He kept saying it over and over again and without even realizing he was saying it. I took pity on him and drew your picture for him.”

AJ inhaled sharply and moved forward, wrapping her arms around Steve as she buried her face against his uniform. “Thank you, Steve.” She whispered as Steve hugged her back. “What’s that thing you and Bucky are always saying to each other?” She asked while still holding onto Steve.

AJ felt his chest move as he breathed in deeply and then exhaled. “ _I’m with you till the end of the line.”_

“I like that saying.” AJ whispered.

She heard Steve sniffle and then hold her tighter against him. “So do I.”

 

 

 

  

 

* * *

 

 

**March 3 rd, 1945 **

**AJ**

 

 

 

 

AJ listened as everyone gathered around to hear the latest Intel they had on Hydra. She sat on Steve’s left next to Peggy, the chair that Bucky had once occupied. After she and Steve had talked, they fell back into their old rhythm. They spent the past month talking about Bucky and all of the memories they had of him.  _Memories._ That's what Steve continued to call him.

But the feeling was back again.

The hope.

The fireworks.

But AJ kept that to herself knowing that it would only upset Steve. But she felt it in her entire body that he was alive and out there waiting for them to save him. Just a faint little whisper in the back of her head that told her he was not dead.

Colonel Phillips walked over to the map in front of them. “Johann Schmidt belongs in a bug house. He thinks he’s God. He’s willing to blow up half the world to prove it, started with the USA.”

“Schmidt’s working with powers beyond our capabilities,” Howard said as he walked in and took the open seat on Steve’s right. “He gets across the Atlantic…he will wipe out the entire eastern sea board in an hour.”

“How much time do we got?” Gabe Jones asked.

“According to my new best friend," Colonel spoke sarcastically. "-under twenty-four hours."

“Where is he now?” Jaques asked.

“Hydra’s last base is here.” Phillips held up a photo, pointing at the base. “In the Alps Five hundred feet below the surface.”

He tossed the photo down on the table and Morita picked it up to look over it. “So, what are we supposed to do? I mean, it’s not like we can just knock on the front door.”

“Why not?” Steve said causing each head to turn in his direction. “That’s exactly what we’re gonna do.”

“Steve, that is _too_ dangerous!” AJ argued.

But he didn’t listen to her.

They all geared up but AJ followed after Steve outside where his motorcycle was. He was incredibly stupid if he thought this was a good idea – he was going to get himself killed! But she knew Steve and that was why she grabbed each weapon that was no detectable that she and Howard had designed for such an occasion if God forbid, Steve or one of the Howling Commandos were to get taken. AJ tucked in each weapon to Steve's suit and then pressed her hands to hiss shoulders afterwards.

“Be smart.” She told him. Steve nodded and opened his mouth to speak but AJ stopped him. “If you are going to apologize, save your breath.” She told him, again, knowing him well enough to guess that was he was going to say to her. “Bucky protected you. He did his job. Now go do yours.”

She walked back to the base and found Peggy and Phillips gearing up as well. “I am coming with you.”

“No,” Phillips told her. “That’s not happening.”

“I am coming, Colonel!” AJ shouted at him.

Phillips gave her a look, “You do not give the orders here, Agent Frost. _I_ do. It is _my_ army going in after Rogers and _I_ choose who is coming with us.”

“Adelyn, gear up.” Peggy told AJ after Phillips was finished causing him to glare in her direction. “You are right, she does not give the orders here. But you are also wrong. Adelyn Frost is an Agent of the SSR and we could use all the help we can get. _I_ am her superior and she follows my orders. Do you understand?”

Phillips breathed in and out heavily through his nose but didn’t argue with Peggy as AJ quickly suited up for the mission. By the time AJ had tied up her boots, Phillips had left and it was only Peggy with her now.

“Thank you, Peggy.” She said softly.

“I meant what I said, Adelyn. You are under my command.” AJ nodded her head, letting Peggy know she understood. “Now,” Peggy straightened her uniform. “Let’s go help our boy.”

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

  

AJ had expected Peggy to let her come along with the soldiers but instead she was up in the sky taking out Hydra soldiers. But when they were all taken out and Peggy had ordered her to land the plane in a field and join them, AJ didn’t listen.

She kept flying.

The SSR had believed that they had taken out the last Hydra base.

But they hadn't.

There was one left in Austria.

While all of the panic and frenzy continued in the Alps - the Hydra base in Austria would be caught off guard. They would never expect that the SSR would send someone their way when most of the unit was taking out Schmidt's base. Because the SSR _hadn't_ sent anyone out. They still didn't know about the Austrian Base and that was exactly why AJ was doing it. She would be able to infiltrate Hydra’s fortress in Austria on her own terms with no one commanding her.

It was what she had to do.

It was what her gut was telling her to do. And the last time she didn’t listen to her gut...the man she loved had disappeared.

 

 

 

 

* * *

  

 **March 8 th 1945**  
**Austria**

** AJ **

 

 

 

 

 _“Have you heard? Captain America is missing!”_ The people around AJ had said to each other, some in horror, some in glee. _“He is dead!”_

It had been three days since it was released that Captain America was MIA.

AJ didn’t have time to grieve. She needed to do this _for_ Steve. He had died trying to put an end to Hydra and every single remaining member needed to be taken out.

Days earlier AJ had landed her plane a few miles outside across the border where Howard would be able to track later on. She had begun to leave little clues that she knew Peggy would pick up on leading her right to the Hydra fortress if anything were to go wrong.

AJ felt numb.

And cold.

It hit her that morning that Steve was dead.

And the flicker of hope she felt for Bucky had been extinguished again. Reality and reason took in and AJ now knew that there was no way he could have ever survived the fall. The fact that she believed he could have survived it for the last few months was ludicrous.

He was gone.

And all she felt was coldness.

Her entire body was cold.

AJ had made it into the fortress unscathed. Most of Hydra had already scattered across the continents by then leaving very few for AJ to take out. It felt too easy – the way she was able to just walk into the fortress undetected. She had spent a while looking around the empty fortress while eyeing each weapon that was laid out before her. It was as if it were some sort of display they had set out just for her.

AJ stopped.

Something caught her eye in the very corner of the room.

Silver.

It almost looked like vibranium.

And there was a pull she felt leading her to the object. Each of her steps were hesitant but she continued to walk forward until she was standing in front of the object. AJ moved closer to it and her hand reached over the object, fingers itching to reach further and grab it.

It wasn’t a weapon. Well, it could be used as a weapon if you were to smack someone over the head with it. But this was something else and from what AJ could see…it would cause her no harm.

She was completely mesmerized by the object that she didn’t hear the footsteps coming from behind her until it was too late.

“A true beauty,” A man said causing AJ to pick up the object as she spun around and went to swing said object at the person behind her. But he grabbed her by the wrist stopping her from smacking him over the head. AJ watched as his eyes widened when they landed on the object she was holding and then the man quickly dropped her wrist and took a few steps away from her as the object began to open.

He grinned now as he watched her from the door. “Good.” He said. “I’ve been hoping to work on a new subject.” He slammed the door shut and AJ felt her entire body freeze, she felt her breath catch in her throat as the object dropped out of her hand and a crystal inside of it had shattered, exposing her to a mist that filled the air around her. Involuntarily, she inhaled deeply through her nose as her throat began to close up and her desperate need to be able to breathe took over. But she still couldn’t breathe and her body became encased in a hard material until everything went black.

_Bucky._

Cold.

The sound of something being shattered, and then her body falling limply onto the ground.

 

 

 

  

* * *

 

 

“What are you doing to me?” AJ croaked out, her throat burning from the lack of water. She had no idea how long she had been in this room or how long they had been pricking her with needles to take her blood. But she felt incredibly weak so AJ knew they must have taken a lot of her blood. “What’s happening?” She tried to sit up but felt herself being held back by restraints.

“I have only come into contact with one woman who was able to touch the Obelisk without drying. A Chinese woman who was sent to Austria to be experimented on. You see we found the device you touched; the _Obelisk,_ and every Hydra soldier that came into contact with died instantly. But only Jiaying was able to survive. She’s in the room next to yours. I’m sure you two will become acquainted during our testing period.”

AJ took in a shaky breath before asking her next question. “And what happens after the testing period?” She asked him.

He chuckled darkly. “That is when the dissecting will begin.”

She swallowed hard but pushed back her fear. “And how long is the testing period?"

"A month, perhaps two. Now that I have you and Jiaying – there are many more test that can be done.” He grinned down at AJ.

AJ felt a needle prick into her skin again causing her to become drowsy. “They’re gonna find you.” Her voice was echoing in her head. “They’ll come for me.”

“Sleep now, SSR Agent Frost.” He said from above her, his face becoming a blur.

_They’ll come._

_They’ll find me._

 

  

* * *

 

 

 **May 7 th, 1945**  
**AUSTRIA**

** PEGGY **

 

 

 

 

 

“What if she isn’t there?” Morita asked as he trailed closely behind Peggy. She could hear he and Dugan whispering about the mission for the last two miles.

“The plane she hijacked was on the border of Austria – she left a trail for us. Frost is not an idiot. Unlike some people.” Dugan commented.

“You are all idiots for whispering so _loudly._ Now fall in line.” Peggy ordered. “Gabe – are you and Jacques ready?” She asked.

Up ahead in the trees Gabe answered her question. “In three, two…one.” The gates into the fortress were blown in and he smiled as he looked over to Jacques. “I’m glad you weren’t too trigger happy this time.” He spoke in French.

The Frenchman scoffed. “It was _one_ time!” He replied in his native language before dropping out of the tree by ropes.

Peggy walked in holding one of the guns Howard had designed for her to use for the occasion with Dugan and Morita now at her side. Their goal was to find Adelyn. But if they brought in Hydra soldiers too, it would be a bonus. But Peggy’s focus was on finding Adelyn. She could not lose another person close to her. And Howard, God, the man was a wreck. Each time they raided a leftover Hydra building and did not find Adelyn, she could see Howard slowly crumble and lose hope that they'd ever get their friend back. 

 _“I can’t, Peg.”_ Howard said when she asked him to accompany him on yet another mission.

 _“Howard!"_  Peggy had said in disbelief that he would say no to  _this_ search and rescue mission. _"It’s the plane she took! She’s in that fortress, I know it!”_

Howard shook his head and yelled at Peggy in anger. _“And she’s probably dead! Just like Steve. Just like Barnes, just like everyone!"_ He refused to come. Howard couldn't go on another search and rescue mission and not come home with Adelyn.

But Peggy managed to convince him to stay on the Austrian border where there was a secret SSR base. He had found new gadgets and toys to mess around with to keep his mind off of Adelyn. That was good. Because Howard without a purpose was absolutely useless. _“She’s like a kid sister to me, Peg.”_ Howard had admitted. _“I can’t…I just…I can’t.”_

Peggy understood.

But she wasn’t going to give up on Adelyn.

The damn woman had never given up on finding Barnes! Peggy swore to herself that she would do the same for Adelyn. They would find her and she would be safe.

Dugan hit one of the Hydra soldiers with the butt of his gun, “I’ll give them an ‘A’ for effort.” He commented.

“Guten tag, boys!” Jim said as he let Peggy step forward. “Alright, nice and calm. No sudden moves or we’ll tie a blasting cap to your,” He paused and then looked to Dugan. “Hey Dugan, what’s the German word for _nuts._ ”

“I don’t know, Jim.” He cocked his rifle. “But tie a blasting cap to them – I’ll bet we hear it.”

Before them stood Dr. Werner Reinhardt. The head of the Austrian Hydra fortress. He held something Peggy recognized on a piece of wood. “Put it down.” She ordered him. It wasn’t until Peggy raised her rifle at him saying again, “Down.” That the man did as he was told. “These assets are now under the protection of the Strategic Scientific Reserve. They’ll be relocated and hidden out of sight. Indefinitely – as will you.”

Dugan moved around Reinhardt and cuffed him as the man said, “Cut off one head. Two more shall grow in its place.”

“Then I guess we’ll keep cutting them off.”

Peggy motioned for Dugan and Morita to follow after her inside the fortress.

“Pack it up, boys!” Dugan shouted before he followed Peggy with Jim.

“Whatever you do, do _not_ touch that artifact!” Peggy told the men as she pointed to the _Obelisk._ “Under no circumstance do you touch that!” She yelled, praying to God that she wouldn’t find AJ in one of the piles of dust from the people who must have turned to stone after touching it.

Morita ran ahead with a few soldiers.

They searched each room until they were down in the lower level and found two cages with two women strung upside down, the _drip, drip, drip,_ of their blood hitting the metal ground of the cage.

Peggy moved closer to get a better look at the women. “Adelyn!” She rushed forward seeing now that she was one of the two women. “Cut her down! Cut her down now!” She ordered Jim who had quickly grabbed out a knife from his back pocket that Howard had created that would cut through any restraint when the heat was turned on.

“No,” Adelyn’s voice rasped, barely over a whisper. “Get her down.”

“Cut her down!” Peggy ordered Jim again. “That is an order!” She then turned to look at the soldiers that followed her in. “You two, cut that woman down and check if she’s alive.”

Adeyln and the woman were both stripped of their clothing, hundreds of incision marks cut down their bodies. Dugan was holding onto AJ, making sure she didn’t hit the ground after Morita sawed through the restraints after the knife heated up.

“Easy, easy!” Peggy said as she began to take off her jacket while Dugan lowered AJ down on the ground. “Soldier!” She looked to the men helping the other woman. “Take off your jackets to cover her!” She then hurried over to Adelyn who let out an agonizing scream once she was set on the ground. “You’re okay.” Peggy whispered as she covered Adelyn with her jacket.

“No,” Adelyn began to shake. “I’m not.”

Peggy looked to Morita. “Get Howard on the radio now. Tell him that Adelyn is alive.” _Barely._ She mouthed. “Tell him to get his plane here now!”

Jim ran out of the room to radio Howard.

Adelyn grabbed at Peggy’s hand suddenly. “Something, something, something happened,” She whispered as she shook. “I’m not,” Her eyes went wide and pushed Peggy away with force. “Get back!” She yelled. “Get back!”

The room grew cold and Peggy watched as Adelyn's eyes turned white as she continued to yell for them all to get out.

_Oh God._

She had touched the Obelisk.

Only a few ever survived touching the Obelisk throughout all of time. And those people that had… _changed._

“Get back!” Peggy ordered. “Everybody! Get. Back!”

Dugan looked at her but followed her orders after hearing the urgency in her voice. They all ran just as a blast came from Adelyn. When Peggy looked back, the entire cage Adelyn was in had frozen over with crystals hanging from the bars.

Dugan stood next to Peggy now. “Did…Did Frost just do that?” He asked as Peggy hurried back.

“Yes.” She answered as she went back over to where Adelyn was, her boots crunching as she walked across the ice to assess Adelyn's wounds.

“Appropriate.” Dugan commented before he got on his knees and looked down at Adelyn.

“Her wounds are healing.” Peggy said as she watched the cuts began to close up briefly. With hope in her voice, she said; “It’s almost as if she’s regenerating.”

The woman that the soldier had grabbed began to talk in Mandarin, a language that Peggy was familiar with. “The ice heals her. But when she warms up, the wounds get worse. She doesn’t have much time.”

Peggy watched in horror as what the woman had said would happen to Adelyn began to happen. “We need Howard.”

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

** HOWARD **

 

 

 

 

“AJ, Jay…can you hear me?”

He watched as she blinked up at him. _“Bucky?”_

Howard frowned and shook his head, pressing his hand to her cheek. “It’s me, kid. It’s Howard.”

“Bucky,” She said again in a sigh and began to smile little. “I knew. I knew you weren’t dead.”

Howard looked to Peggy. “It’s the only option, Peg.” He told her. “Or we’re about to say goodbye to another person we love.”

Peggy sighed and her eyes drifted over to the Cryostasis Chamber that Howard had found and worked on. “How do we even know it will work?”

“Because _I_ worked on it – I wouldn’t put her in there unless I was absolutely sure she’d be able to survive.” Howard explained. “The cold is keeping her alive – until a time where we can heal her…it’s the only way she is able to pull through this.”

Peggy looked back down at AJ. “But for how long?”

Howard looked down at AJ too, who was squeezing onto his hand while whispering Bucky's name. “Until we have the technology to revive her.”

“We’re talking about preserving a human, Howard!” Peggy said in a huff.

“Do it.” They both looked at the doorway to see Colonel Phillips standing in the room now. “Save her. I don’t care how long it takes.”

Peggy shook her head as she walked over to the man. “And what do we tell her family, Chester?” Peggy asked him. "What do we tell the people who love her?"

Phillips looked past Peggy over to where AJ was laying on a table. “We need her.” He said. “Tomorrow I will release a statement pronouncing Adelyn Frost dead. Because to everyone outside of the SSR…she’s gone. She has to be.”

Howard waited until he got the nod of approval from Phillips before he began to set everything up. Phillips and Peggy wheeled the slab AJ was on over to Howard and they all together placed her inside of the chamber. Her pulse was weak and her eyes were starting to close as soon as she was inside.

Peggy whispered her goodbyes, as did Colonel Phillips.

Howard closed the chamber and pressed his hand against the small window where he could still see AJ. “I’ll see you again, kid.”

The chamber froze.

 

 

  

* * *

 

 

 

 _“How long has she been out?”_ A woman asked.

 _“Since ‘45”_ a man answered.

 _“Why so long?”_ A different man asked.

 _“Because Howard Stark said under no circumstances would she brought out before the technology was ready.”_ The first male voice said again.

 _“Helen, are you sure it’s ready?”_ A different female voice asked.

 _“Yes.”_ a new voice said, female as well. _“The Cradle should work.”_

 _“Should?”_   Skepticism. _“You better pray it works or Howard Stark will crawl out of his grave and strike you down.”_

No.

No.

_Grave?_

Movement. Her fingers. She could feel her fingers moving.

 _“It’s time.”_ The first man who had spoken said.

Warmth.

Her entire body felt warm. But she surprisingly didn’t feel any pain.

 _“It’s working.”_ One of the women said.

 _“Anytime now.”_ A man said.

Her eyes opened and AJ blinked rapidly and began to take in quick shallow breaths. She looked around the area and did not recognize any of the people who were looking down at her.

“Agent Frost,” A man with dark skin and an eyepatch said as he looked down at her. “Welcome back.”

A woman with red hair put a cup to AJ's lips forcing her to drink. AJ choked a little but swallowed the liquid. Her body still felt weak. “This should help with regaining your strength." The red head said, "Don’t ask what’s in it.” She smirked.

AJ didn’t understand - everything around her was bright and shiny and new. She could see that her vitals were on a flat screen on the wall as a woman in a tight blue suit swiped her hand across the screen and a new page appeared.

This technology…even Hydra didn’t have this.

Her eyes widened in fear and pushed herself up a little. “Hey, hey,” A white male said as she moved over her, pressing her down a little. “You need to stay in there until you’re completely healed.”

_Healed?_

Reinhardt.

 _Peggy._ Howard.

“Give her some space, you guys.” The man said and stepped away from AJ. He had sandy brown hair and a face that looked like this man may have never smiled in his entire life. But she trusted him. “My name is Clint.” He told her when he saw she was still looking up at him.

She nodded her head which seemed to be a mistake because her stomach began to churn and she moved forward and got sick.

The woman with red hair was quick to stifle a chuckle as the man with the eyepatch spoke quietly to a woman of Asian descent.

“It’s completely normal,” The woman assured her. “But I would strongly advise to keep her in the Cradle for another twenty minutes and for her to continue on drinking the smoothie.” She looked from AJ to the man who was at her side, looking down at his feet. “And I’d strongly advice getting Agent Coulson a new pair of shoes.”

AJ looked up at the man she had puked on. “Phil Coulson.” He introduced himself. “I’m going to step out and change.” He walked away.

The man with an eyepatch walked up to AJ and crouched down so he was at eye level with her. “My name is Director Fury, and I’m sure you have a lot of questions.” He told her.

“Where am I?” She asked him in a small voice.

“New York.”

There was a ringing and the woman with red hair brought a device to her ear and began to talk to someone. The way they all dressed – the way they talked! The question shouldn’t have been _where_ she was. Because AJ knew for damn sure that she was no longer in the year 1945.

“What year is it?” She asked.

Director Fury smiled. “2010.” He told her. “And Stark was right. You did figure it out fast.”

2010?

“Welcome to the future, Agent Frost.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> COMING SOON TO AN AO3 NEAR YOU...I'm working on the second story guys! Hopefully you'll enjoy that just as much as I hope you enjoyed this story!


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